From March 2021, Ibiza will be a step closer to becoming a plastic free island, when a prohibition on using this material for disposable objects such as plates, cups, cutlery, cotton buds, drinking straws or food containers will be made effective throughout the Balearic Islands. This measure will affect both private individuals and businesses, many of whom are currently looking at ways of adapting to this new scenario and the measures required, in an effort to create a better, healthier planet for us all. In this regard, it is increasingly common to see in establishments of every kind items made from bamboo, recycled paper, and cellulose replacing the highly polluting material that takes decades to degrade.
The data supporting this decision is devastating. In the west coast of Ibiza, 4.5 million micro-plastics are dumped per square kilometre. Furthermore, 72% of rubbish collected on the Mediterranean Spanish beaches is plastic waste, and in 2018 alone the coastal waste collection service removed 58 tonnes of rubbish from the island’s shores, with 44.7%, that is almost half of it, made up of plastics. It has also been discovered that one in every six fish in Spanish coastal waters have micro-plastics in their stomachs, and therefore it is essential to act now and redress this situation.
With a view to rewarding companies that have seen the need to change format and are currently pioneering these protocols, movements such as Plastic Free have been set up, awarding the quality seal of zero waste to these enterprises. This qualification is designed to promote the replacement of plastics with other materials, something that is already happening in a wide range of items such as plastic stirrers for drinks, utensils, single-dose food products, coffee or tea capsules, bottles or amenities. This year, the certification has been revised with the potential for awarding up to 5 stars, in this way acknowledging the added value of Zero Waste companies who are working towards a clean and sustainable future.
A philosophy that is also promoted in the consumption of domestic products such as wipes, toothbrushes, sanitary towels, disposable razors, shampoos, baby’s bottles, dummies or crockery that can now be easily obtained in different shops of the island, and which are made with more sustainable and non-polluting materials.
The same is happening with plastic bags, which will disappear from supermarkets and retail outlets, to be replaced by other reusable materials. Many Ibizans have now gone back to using the traditional and aesthetically pleasing “señalló” or basket, so that now it is becoming common to see people of all ages with these wicker or palm leaf baskets with leather handles on their shoulder, going to market, to their favourite shops, or buying at various different outlets. The perfect way to combine fashion, tradition, good sense and respect for your surroundings. Are you ready to join them?