Residents have reported finding dozens of containers believed to be linked to recreational nitrous oxide use abandoned in a forested area of Sa Carroca, near the road leading to a quarry.

Photographs shared by residents show blue boxes and canisters scattered among vegetation alongside construction debris, plastic waste and other discarded material.

The discovery has raised concerns among people living in the area about illegal dumping, environmental cleanliness and the growing visibility of recreational nitrous oxide use on the island.

Containers scattered through the forest

The material was photographed in the area of Calle Llobarro, in Sa Carroca.

Residents described seeing a considerable number of blue boxes and containers lying among trees and bushes just metres from a dirt track.

The photographs have been shared through a local neighbourhood Facebook group, where residents identified the material as containers compatible with nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.

At this stage, the identification comes from the residents and the appearance of the containers. There has been no reported official inspection confirming the contents of every container shown in the photographs.

Other waste reported at the site

Residents say the area is not affected only by the nitrous oxide containers.

According to descriptions shared in the neighbourhood group, the same location also contains construction debris, plastic waste and an abandoned motorcycle.

One resident reportedly described the area as an illegal dumping site and said they had attempted to report the situation through the Línea Verde reporting system.

Who is responsible for removing the containers?

The discovery has also highlighted uncertainty among residents about how these particular containers should be handled.

One resident said ordinary waste-collection services are not authorised to handle empty nitrous oxide containers, creating uncertainty over which service should remove them.

That point has not been confirmed by Sant Josep Town Hall. The issue remains part of the residents' complaints rather than an established municipal position.

Residents call for greater surveillance

Several residents have called for increased police presence in the area.

The complaints come as concerns over recreational nitrous oxide use and discarded containers have been growing elsewhere on Ibiza, particularly in areas with significant tourist and nightlife activity.

Earlier this month, residents, families and tourism and hospitality representatives in Sant Antoni also called for greater coordination between police forces to address recreational nitrous oxide use, sales, distribution and the abandonment of containers in public spaces.

Ibiza's new rules on nitrous oxide

The discovery comes shortly after the Balearic Islands introduced stricter rules governing nitrous oxide.

A decree-law approved in August prohibits the retail sale, dispensing and advertising of nitrous oxide when it is intended for inhalation for recreational purposes.

The regulation also prohibits supplying nitrous oxide to people under 18, with an exception for people over 16 who can demonstrate professional use.

Legitimate medical, healthcare, food and industrial uses remain permitted.

The new rules classify certain breaches as serious offences under the Balearic Islands' legislation on drug dependencies and other addictions. The applicable fine for a serious breach can range from €6,001 to €60,000.

Recreational use remains a concern on the island

The new regulation follows growing concern among local residents, businesses and authorities about recreational nitrous oxide consumption.

In September, representatives of the hotel sector, neighbourhood associations, families and hospitality businesses in Sant Antoni met with the island's representative of the Spanish central government to request greater coordination between state security forces and local police.

They also called for prevention measures and greater action around sales and consumption in public areas and places frequented by young people.

A growing waste problem

The issue is not limited to consumption itself.

Discarded nitrous oxide containers can become a visible waste problem in streets, around nightlife areas and now, according to residents, in natural and forested areas.

The Sa Carroca discovery illustrates how the issue can extend beyond nightlife zones and into residential and rural surroundings.

However, there is currently no official confirmation that the containers found at this particular location came from recreational consumption, who left them there or how long they had been at the site.

No municipal response reported yet

The newspaper contacted Sant Josep Town Hall to ask whether the municipality was aware of the reported dumping and whether any action was planned.

At the time of publication, no response had been received.

Residents subsequently continued to report that the material had not been removed from the area.

What is confirmed

At this stage, the confirmed information is limited to what can be established from the residents' report and the published photographs:

• Residents reported dozens of containers in a forested area of Sa Carroca.

• The location is near the road leading towards a quarry.

• Photographs show blue boxes and containers among vegetation and other waste.

• Residents identified the containers as compatible with nitrous oxide canisters.

• Other waste, including construction debris and plastic, was also reported.

• Residents have requested greater surveillance.

• Sant Josep Town Hall had not responded to enquiries at the time of publication.

• The Balearic Islands now prohibit the retail sale, dispensing and advertising of nitrous oxide when intended for recreational inhalation, while legitimate professional uses remain permitted.

From nightlife waste to forest dumping

The Sa Carroca discovery adds another dimension to Ibiza's ongoing debate over recreational nitrous oxide.

For residents, the concern is no longer only what happens in nightlife areas. The reported abandonment of containers in a forested environment raises separate questions about waste management, enforcement and who is responsible for removing them.

For now, however, there is no official confirmation identifying the source of the containers or confirming that they contain nitrous oxide.

The immediate question for residents is whether the reported waste will be removed and whether authorities will investigate how it ended up in the forest.