More than five tons of waste from the sea: Who cleans up when plastic keeps washing ashore?

More than five tons of waste from the sea: Who cleans up when plastic keeps washing ashore?

Key question: Are rakes, nets and boats enough — or does Mallorca need a different clean-up recipe?

The smell of diesel, the early crowing of roosters and the soft clack of nets on the quay: this is often how a workday begins for the men and women of the coastal cleaning crews on Mallorca. Last September they were out on the boats every one of the 30 days. At the end of the month, Balearic officials recorded a total of more than 5.3 tons of collected waste from the sea and coast. On average, that was 178.17 kilograms per day.

The numbers tell a clear story: plastic is the main concern. Around 2.3 tons — or 44.23 percent of the haul — consisted of plastics. Wood accounted for about 1.4 tons (27.26 percent), and other materials for roughly 1.2 tons (24.10 percent). In addition there were plant remains, organic waste and just under five kilograms of oil. Geographically, Mallorca collected the most with about 2.5 tons, Ibiza followed with around two tons; Menorca and Formentera were comparatively less affected with just under 400 kilograms.

Twenty-three boats were in operation: 15 beach boats and eight coastal boats. Both types worked tirelessly and each brought roughly 2.6 tons on board. The teams recovered not only beach chairs and PET bottles from the water. They salvaged a drifting boat, removed fences, larger pieces of wood, a pallet, barrels and even a lifebuoy — scenes familiar from a bay at Colònia de Sant Jordi or on Playa de Palma.

The facts are alarming, but the question is bigger: where does this waste come from, and how sustainable are the measures so far? Easy answers are quickly heard: tourists, carelessness, illegally dumped rubbish. That is partly true, but it is too simplistic. Currents, storm runoff from drains, lost fishing nets and maritime trade also contribute. The Balearic administration’s statistics show the volume, but say little about how much of it originates locally or was carried from afar.

What is missing in the public debate are the invisible impacts. Microplastics, frayed fishing nets and small packaging fragments burden marine life and beach ecosystems in the long term. There is also no systematic recording of the role played by temporary phases such as heavy rain, harbour cleanings or coastal construction work. Data on origin, particle size and repeat offenders are lacking.

From everyday life: On a cool morning at the harbour of Portocolom, fishermen stand together with thermos mugs and point to plastic straps on the rocky shore. A woman on the banks of Alcúdia resignedly lifts a child’s sand mould out of the seaweed. Such scenes repeat along the island — not big headlines, but visible to anyone who goes to the coast in the morning.

Concrete approaches that bring more than just short-term clean-ups:

1) Strategic prevention: Install more waste traps at river mouths and soakaways before urban outfalls; better covering of construction debris transports; mandatory disposal points for charter and recreational boats at all harbours.

2) Infrastructure and regulation: Expand harbour waste reception points, increase cleaning capacity for heavy-rain events, introduce or extend deposit return schemes for single-use packaging across the island economy.

3) Monitoring and transparency: Systematic sampling for microplastics, public mapping of beach finds by material and origin, annual reports that estimate origins and evaluate the effectiveness of measures.

4) Sanctions and incentives: Stricter controls against illegal dumping with significant fines; incentives for hotels, marinas and charter companies to adopt reusable and recyclable alternatives.

5) Civic engagement: Expand local beach sponsorships, apps to report drifting objects, promote educational projects in schools and tourism businesses.

None of this is new. But it must become more concrete and binding. Nets and boats are indispensable — they save beaches and protect bathers — yet they become a permanent solution if the causes are not tackled at the same time. Otherwise we will be back at the quay next autumn, counting tons and wondering about the same bottles.

Conclusion: The balance between clean-up and prevention is missing. Authorities have delivered an alarm signal with 5.3 tons. Now a plan is needed that stops plastic at the source, improves infrastructure and creates more transparency. Only then will the morning scenes at the harbour become rarer: fewer plastic straps in the surf, more fishermen able to drink their coffee in peace.