Gradually phasing out single-use plastics in Ibiza and Formentera
The average amount of waste generated by the inhabitants of Ibiza and Formentera in 2019 was 662 kg/inhabitant/year. These values exceed the national average (485Kg/inhabitant/year) by 36%. A large part of this waste is plastic, much of it generated during the peak summer season. Plastic is not just rubbish clogging up our beaches and shores, but it also affects the marine environment, endangering the species that live there. It’s even become part of our food chain, so much so that recent studies have detected microplastics in human organs and our bloodstream.
Research has revealed significant concentrations of plastic in the waters off Ibiza. Samples taken from the surface of San Antonio Bay recorded 4,576,111 plastic particles per km2 (compared to an average of 147,500 per km2), the maximum concentration detected in the Mediterranean.
Plastic Free Ibiza and Formentera, an alliance of some 14 local entities founded by IbizaPreservation in 2018 and led by the Foundation, works to raise awareness and promote more sustainable and circular habits through:
- The certification of committed companies in the hospitality sector through Plastic Free Balearics (see below).
- The promotion of sustainable practices in companies and homes, providing resources and honest alternatives to plastic.
- Promotion of the circular and regenerative economy.
- The promotion of local and bulk consumption models.
- Working with local administrations to support the circular economy and promote campaigns aimed at raising awareness in the local community.
Our members:
Since 2018 we have been promoting the certification of companies in Ibiza and Formentera as “plastic-free”. In 2021, we built on this by introducing the Plastic Free Balearics certification, a joint initiative developed by IbizaPreservation and Save the Med in Mallorca, co-financed by the Monaco-based association Beyond Plastic Med. The certification unites the four islands in the common goal of eliminating plastic pollution from the archipelago and provides an opportunity for companies operating in the hospitality sector to position themselves at the forefront of the movement to turn the Balearics into a model for sustainable tourism for the 21st century.
We are proud members of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative. Read more here.
