The island exceeds 655 kilos of garbage per person per year, 14% above the Balearic average, and is further from the legal reduction target set for 2030
Ibiza, 25-07-2025 – The amount of waste ending up in Ibiza’s landfill in 2024 increased by 11% compared to the previous year, reaching 97,518 tonnes compared to 87,813 in 2023, according to data from the Waste Department of the Consell Insular d’Eivissa and the Xarxa Insular de Deixalleries, analysed by the IbizaPreservation Sustainability Observatory . This information is part of the 2024 Sustainability Report, currently being prepared with funding from the Consell Insular d’Eivissa.
Waste generation per person in Ibiza reached 655.5 kg per year in 2024, 14% above the Balearic average (563.7 kg) and 7% more than in 2010, the reference year set by Law 8/2019 on waste and contaminated soil in the Balearic Islands. This regulation requires a 20% reduction in the amount of waste generated by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, a goal that is still far from being met, explains IbizaPreservation.
“If we don’t manage to significantly reduce waste production, not only will we be in violation of the law, but the Ca na Putxa landfill could reach its end of life before 2028 ,” warns Elisa Langley , coordinator of the IbizaPreservation Sustainability Observatory. “It’s urgent to act,” she adds.
Regarding the human pressure index —which includes the number of people present on the island, including residents, tourists, and seasonal workers— it decreased in 2024 , but that reduction was not accompanied by a proportional drop in the total weight of waste generated.
Regarding selective collection, Ibiza achieved 40.1% waste separation in 2024 , including organic waste, glass, paper and cardboard, packaging, and the network of deixalleries (clean points). Although this figure represents an improvement over the previous year, it is still below the 50% target for 2021 and the 55% target for 2025.
The analysis of improperly separated waste , carried out by the Ca Na Putxa Environmental Department, revealed that in 2024, 28.6% of the contents of the grey container corresponded to organic matter , compared to 40.2% recorded in 2023, which represents an improvement in this fraction, although it remains high. High percentages of paper-cardboard (11.6%), packaging (8.8%), textiles (8.2%) and glass (6.7%) were also detected in the rejected fraction in 2024. “These percentages show the need to improve our separation and recycling system for both organic matter, paper-cardboard, textiles and packaging, in order to achieve the target of 55% recycling and reuse by 2025,” Langley emphasizes.
By municipality, Sant Antoni led municipal selective collection in 2024 with 47%, followed by Sant Josep (44%), Sant Joan (43%), Santa Eulària (37%), and Ibiza (35%). Particularly notable is the improvement in Sant Joan, which increased by 13 percentage points compared to 2023, according to IbizaPreservation.
Selective collection of organic matter increased by 2% in 2024 compared to 2023 , reaching 15,762 tons. This fraction has grown by 276% since its collection began in 2020-2021, but still contains 7% unsuitable (non-organic waste), which reduces the quality of the compost generated. “The fact that unsuitable waste continues to appear in the organic fraction prevents its use as compost,” explains Langley. “It is essential to continue working on separation and utilization strategies, including home composting and avoiding food waste,” he adds.
The remaining fractions also showed slight variations : paper-cardboard recycling increased by 2%, packaging by 7%, and glass recycling decreased by 1% compared to 2023.
The IbizaPreservation Sustainability Observatory emphasizes the need to rethink consumption and assume responsibility for the waste generated . “Every product we consume becomes future waste. Reusing, repairing, buying secondhand, and separating properly are actions that make a difference,” Langley concludes.
