Keeping the Mediterranean Sea Clean: A Summer Initiative
The Mancomunidad association of town halls on the western strip of the Costa del Sol has announced that approximately fifteen boats will be deployed this summer to maintain cleanliness along the Mediterranean coast. The operation is set to commence from 15 June and will continue until 15 September, covering the peak summer season.
Investment and Operation Details
Manuel Cardeña, the president of the Mancomunidad, revealed that the organization is investing 635,312 euros in the service. The contract for this initiative is currently open for bidding. The boats will be operational seven days a week, including public holidays, from 8am to 4pm.
Quality Checks and Previous Achievements
In addition to the cleaning service, the Mancomunidad will also conduct regular tests to monitor the quality of the sea water. The results of these tests will be published every two weeks after being analyzed at the Acosol laboratories. The organization emphasized that in 2023, the cleaning boats collected 170 cubic metres of solid waste, a figure similar to that of 2022.
Breakdown of Collected Waste
The majority of the solid waste collected, approximately 75 per cent, was plastics, amounting to 124.74 cubic metres. This was followed by wood, which accounted for 20.14 cubic metres. Seaweed made up just 10 per cent of the total, equating to 10.46 cubic metres.
Cleaning Operations Across Various Coastlines
This year, the cleaning boat service will operate along the coastlines of Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, Casares, and Manilva. The Mancomunidad aims to ensure the best possible water quality along the Costa del Sol through this initiative.
