Destination Zero Waste Menorca

Like many coastal areas, the island of Menorca is facing a plastic pollution crisis. The island generates more than 100 kg of plastics per person per year, and recycles only a small percentage of this, with 75% of the collected plastics on the island going to landfill. Only 14% of them are exported for recycling. Additionally, with more than 400 km of Mediterranean coastline, Menorca’s beaches also receive large quantities of macro and microplastics.

To address this crisis, the TUI Care Foundation has partnered with Menorca Preservation to establish Destination Zero Waste Menorca, which offers interventions on the island to combat plastic pollution.

The project reduces solid waste in the natural environment, collecting a total of 17,800 kg of plastic waste, of which 4,800 kg is recycled and 11,500 kg is upcycled.

Activities include the collection and analysis of waste in various environments such as beaches, seabeds, wooded areas, and rocky coastlines. The collection includes items, such as fishing nets, broken parasols, and discarded wetsuits. These are then further passed to artisans and artists at PescArt Menorca, an initiative that promotes a second life for discarded fishing nets through artisan products and artistic creations. Recycling and upcycling also happen at the Plastic Lab Menorca, a newly established facility equipped with machinery to convert collected plastic into viable products. Plastic collection outings are organised with schools, social groups, tourists and active tourism companies (such as, kayaking, diving and hiking providers) at the start and end of the tourist season. Reusable beach item boxes are constructed and placed on beaches where people can deposit and collect reusable items to avoid waste buildup.

60 businesses are involved through the implementation and promotion of the Plastic Free Balearics Certification, which targets hospitality businesses and helps them adopt sustainable practices. The certification focuses on the hospitality sector, addressing the top plastic items related to food and beverage consumption. It also quantifies the changes achieved in the number and kilograms of products eliminated. Non-hospitality businesses are also engaged to encourage participation in the Plastic Free Menorca Commitment, promoting the reduction of plastic use and waste. Additionally, the initiative also engages tourism and other business sectors to create experiences that eliminate plastic use, such as plastic-free cultural activities and sports centres.

2,100 people participate in sustainable tourism experiences, such as plastic collection outings organised with schools and social entities to collect waste from local environments, and awareness raising sessions. Destination Zero Waste Menorca designates and maintains the first beach on the island that is free from plastics, promoting it as a sustainable tourism site. Various measures are created and installed to reduce the use of plastic, encourage reuse, and change consumption habits from plastic products to more sustainable alternatives. Open workshops are held through PescArt Menorca and Plastic Lab Menorca, focusing on upcycling waste into art and functional items. These workshops allow tourists to participate in hands-on environmental conservation activities, with a minimum of eight workshops held per year.

30 green job opportunities for marginalised communities are created through workshops and skill-building sessions organised by PescArt Menorca and Plastic Lab Menorca. The workshops are organised by project coordinators, with additional expert support funded by the project budget. To increase the sales of these products, two exhibitions per year showcase the results and creations achieved through these initiatives.

Menorca Preservation is a non-profit organisation that promotes environmental awareness and preserves Menorca’s natural heritage, working in collaboration with local organisations and environmental heroes. Its Plastic Free Menorca Alliance and PescArt Menorca initiatives aim to empower Menorca’s local community to address plastic pollution by fostering grassroots actions and sustainable business practices such as plastic-free certifications for businesses, beach clean-ups, reusable beach items points, filtered water fountains and waste upcycling workshops.