Ibiza and Formentera Record Almost 10 Tonnes of Marine Waste Collected in Five Months

November 02, 2026

Almost 10 tonnes of waste were removed from the waters and coastlines of Ibiza and Formentera between May and September 2026, according to the final figures released by the Balearic Government's Coastal Cleaning Service.

The operation, coordinated by the public company PortsIB under the regional Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle, collected a combined 9,955.03 kilograms of waste across the two islands during the five-month campaign. Across the Balearic Islands, the total reached 34,192.36 kilograms.

The figures highlight the scale of the work carried out along the Pitiusas' coastline during the 2026 summer season, with Ibiza accounting for the larger share of the waste collected.

Ibiza Accounts for Almost 8 Tonnes of Collected Waste

Ibiza recorded 7,943.08 kilograms of waste removed from its waters and coastal areas, making it the second island in the Balearics by collection volume, behind Mallorca.

Sant Josep de sa Talaia accounted for the largest reported municipal total on Ibiza, with 5,098.30 kilograms collected. Sant Antoni de Portmany followed with 1,060.80 kilograms.

Formentera recorded a further 2,011.95 kilograms during the campaign, bringing the combined Pitiusas total to 9,955.03 kilograms.

The figures cover waste collected from both coastal waters and shorelines. They do not represent exclusively seabed cleaning or beach litter collection.

Plastic and Wood Make Up the Largest Share of Collected Waste

Across the Balearic Islands, plastic and wood were the two main categories of material recovered during the campaign.

The regional breakdown was:

  • Plastic: 15,851.36 kilograms.

  • Wood: 12,545.94 kilograms.

  • Other materials: 3,118.02 kilograms.

  • Vegetation: 1,918.39 kilograms.

  • Organic matter: 704.49 kilograms.

  • Oils and hydrocarbons: 54.16 kilograms.

Plastic and wood together accounted for more than 28 tonnes of the total waste collected.

These material figures apply to the entire Balearic Islands campaign. The regional government has not provided an equivalent breakdown specifically for Ibiza and Formentera.

23 Vessels Deployed Between May and September

The 2026 operation involved 23 vessels distributed across the Balearic coastline.

The fleet consisted of:

  • 15 beach-type vessels.

  • 8 coastal-type vessels.

According to the regional government, the beach-type vessels collected 16,058.46 kilograms, while the coastal vessels recovered a further 18,133.90 kilograms.

The service is intended not only to improve the environmental condition of coastal waters and bathing areas but also to support maritime safety by removing floating waste and potentially hazardous objects.

39 Incidents and Emergency Assistance Calls

Alongside its regular cleaning operations, the service received and responded to 39 reports during the five-month campaign.

Of these, 25 came through the 112 emergency service and Maritime Rescue. They mainly involved assistance following vessel sinkings and the removal of drifting tree trunks and dead animals.

The remaining 14 reports came from public institutions and private individuals, concerning incidents such as fuel dispersal, concentrations of plastic waste and requests for assistance to people.

Other interventions included helping boats that were adrift and removing drifting trunks, pieces of damaged vessels, buoys and other bulky objects.

Among the operations elsewhere in the Balearics, crews removed a 40-metre pipe in Menorca and collected a live goat in Mallorca.

Collaboration with Scientific Organisations

The Coastal Cleaning Service also continued working with scientific organisations, including the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB) and the Oceanographic Institute.

This collaboration involves collecting environmental data and supporting scientific sampling and monitoring programmes focused on jellyfish and microplastics in Balearic waters.

The 2026 campaign therefore combined practical coastal cleaning and maritime assistance with scientific monitoring, providing information that can contribute to a better understanding of environmental conditions across the archipelago.

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