Marine litter travels too

Here at THB hotels we are increasingly aware of our responsibility to the environment.
Based on the environment action plan we have drawn up for the coming years, we are determined to convert our undertakings into specific measures.
On a global scale, the problem of marine litter is out of control. It is an issue that is relatively unknown to the general public, despite its widespread impact on marine fauna and ecosystems, the economy, tourism and health, etc.

Did you know that 8 million tons of waste make their way into the sea each day?

We have joined the European International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) programme, led on a global scale by Ocean Conservancy organization, in collaboration with the Ambiente Europeo association.
This is the world’s most ambitious voluntary civic event in favour of healthy seas. The principal initiatives include beach and sea bed cleanup campaigns, as well as collecting and recording marine litter data. Obtaining information about marine waste is an essential step in raising social awareness, changing habits and proposing or implementing policies based on objective information in the form of figures and percentages.

Here at THB hotels we have planned various events that will contribute to this objective. We will spend several days collecting, sorting and noting down on cards the waste contaminating the coastline, in particular the beaches most in need of these controls and closest to our hotels. The types of litter range from drinks containers to cigarette ends, food packaging, large and small items of plastic or lost and abandoned fishing nets.

Things got underway in December with the cleaning up of the Porto Cristo beach in Majorca, situated just below the THB Felip hotel. Although at first sight the beach appeared to be clean, a closer look revealed that the sand was in fact full of waste. Littered with cigarette ends, we picked up no fewer than 1,324. Cigarette ends take 10 years to decompose and also pollute our seas. We also collected more than 900 items of plastic, including bottles, lids, rings, cutlery, cups, lollipop sticks, packaging tape and unidentified pieces; more than 1,100 pieces of paper, serviettes, etc; over 40 personal hygiene and medical products such as wet wipes, cotton buds, sanitary towels ad plasters, etc; and over 1,000 other items including rubber bands, fabric, balloons and wood such as bamboo, etc.

In the words of Eduardo Galeano: “Many little people, in little places, doing little things, can change the world.”
At THB hotels we are convinced that small gestures can bring about big changes.

For a better world


Summary of the data card for marine litter on Porto Cristo beach (13.12.2018):

PLASTICS
Drinks bottles = 23
Bottle caps, lids and rings = 48
Straws = 50
Cups, plates, mugs = 15
Plastic cutlery = 15
Other plastic bottles < 20 litres = 1
Plastic (shopping) bags = 8
Other plastic sacks and bags = 18
Lollipop sticks and sweet wrappings = 118
Food packaging = 4
Cable, rope and string =15
Packaging tape = 51
Other unidentified plastic items =17
Unidentified plastic fragments -2.5 cm =257
Unidentified plastic fragments +2.5 cm =316

METAL
Drinks cans and ring pulls = 13
Metal caps and lids =6
Electronic devices = 3
Aluminium foil =5
Unidentified metal items = 26

PAPER / CARDBOARD
Cigarette ends =1,324
Cigarette boxes or wrappings =8
Cartons =3
Cardboard =17
Paper serviettes and tablecloths =64
Other identifiable items of paper =1129

HYGIENE WASTE
Cotton buds =2
Condoms= 1
Sanitary towels, tampons and panty liners =14
Wet wipes = 30
Other identifiable items of hygiene waste =2

MEDICAL WASTE
Other identifiable medical waste (plaster, bandages) =9

WOOD
Other identifiable wooden items (boards, planks, boxes, bamboo) = 1036

GLASS
Pieces of glass =76

MISCELLANEOUS
Balloons =3
Clothing, footwear and hats =11
Other rubber items =47
Other textile items (fabrics, soft toys) = 16
Building materials (bricks, ceramic tiles, etc.) =8

Coordinates: 39.540925, 3.335679 - 39.541560, 3.336505