TOTAL PROJECT COST – €252.013

IN PROGRESS

• Homegrown project
• Project Duration: January 2025 – December 2025
• Area of Interest: Plastics
• Other entities involved: GOB Menorca, Obsam, Leader Illa de Menorca, 0 Plastic Menorca
• With financial support from: TUI Care Foundation (68.074 €),  Conservation Collective in partnership with Depeche Mode and Hublot (57.939 €), Cultural and Educational Nordic Foundation (49.500 €), BBVA Asset Management – Convocatoria Futuro Sostenible 2024 (35.000 €), EasyJet Holidays (31.500 €), BeMed MicroCall (10.000 €).

© Dani Olives – SEOLIVES

THE PROJECT

Primary Impact

Reducing plastic pollution

Summary of the project

The funding granted by our partners to the Plastic Free Menorca Alliance, led by Menorca Preservation, will allow to continue strengthening the Action Plan for the reduction of plastic pollution in Menorca 2030. This plan sets out various actions aimed at raising awareness, promoting and encouraging the elimination of the use of plastics in Menorca in order to reduce plastic pollution in the island’s natural environment as much as possible.

Main actions to be implemented

Therefore, the funding received for 2025 will allow us to:

• Continue to coordinate our Plastic Free Menorca Alliance, as well as monitoring past actions, offering technical advise and working on achieving a greater joint impact.

• Continue with the Plastic Free Balearics and Plastic Free Menorca certifications and recertifications: 35 Plastic Free Balearic certifications.

• Identify and implementation of 15 new reusable beach items collections points.

• Raising awareness through: organising workshops, beach clean-ups, participating in local talks about plastic pollution, press releases, social media, Plastic Free Menorca website, interviews…

• A Marine Plastic Waste Study: We want to carry out a study to characterise plastics on the seabed of the Balearic Islands (in collaboration with IbizaPreservation and Mallorca Preservation), in order to better understand their presence, typology and abundance, and also to be able to put forward hypotheses about their origin. The aim is to obtain information on the presence of waste and plastics on the seabed of the Balearic Islands, including the identification of critical areas and the classification of the waste found. The study will culminate in the creation of a database and a detailed report that will serve to promote concrete actions to mitigate plastic pollution. To this end, it is necessary to first establish a precise methodology for the collection of such data.

• Launching in Menorca of “The Magic of Plastic” show: Convinced that it is essential to educate from childhood about caring for nature in order to build a solid base from which future generations will promote more sustainable life models, from the 3 Balearic Foundations (IbizaPreservation, Mallorca Preservation and Menorca Preservation) we want to scale the initiative ‘The Magic of Recycling’, developed by IbizaPreservation during 2024. ‘The Magic of Recycling’ is a magic show aimed at boys and girls between 10 and 12 years old, created specifically together with the Association for Magic of Ibiza and Formentera to raise awareness about the problem of waste in general and plastic waste in particular. We consider this magic show to be a powerful and creative tool for raising awareness about waste and plastics as it combines entertainment with education, capturing the attention of an audience that is sometimes difficult to reach.

• Organisation of a Plastic Free Menorca Day: Coinciding with its 5th anniversary (2020-2025), we wish to celebrate our achievements by organising a “Plastic Free” event that brings together: talks on the impacts of plastic pollution in Menorca with plastic experts, performances by local artists, project workshops (e.g. upcycling of waste with our circular economy project PescArt, identification of microplastics with Plastic Free Menorca) and clean-ups.

• Setting up a new Plastic Observatory: the design and implementation of a ‘Plastics Observatory’ with a set of indicators and values that will allow us to improve our knowledge of the management, impacts and regulations in force in relation to plastic waste.

• Launching of a new Plastic Lab: We will set up a recycling workshop equipped with effective machinery to convert collected plastic into viable products, driving towards a circular economy. This facility will not only be a PlasticLab but also a center for community engagement and innovation, promoting sustainable practices. With these tools, we aim to significantly advance Menorca’s recycling capabilities, making a substantial leap towards our goal of a Plastic Free Menorca.

• Working towards a Plastic Free Beach: Designate and maintain the first beach in Menorca that is free from plastic, promoting it as a sustainable tourism site. Various actions will be created and installed to reduce the use of plastic, encourage reuse and change consumption habits from plastic products to more sustainable alternatives (beach sign and display businesses).

• Continue growing PescArt Menorca via:

  •  Engaging more local artisans and artists.

  • Training local artisans: marketing, online sales, sustainability.

  • Strengthening the commercialisation of the products: promote website of the project, social network, participation in trade shows, etc.

  • Exploring new ways of recycling this material.

  • Supporting the creation of a circular network at Balearic level in collaboration with IbizaPreservation and Mallorca Preservation: The 3 Foundations want to explore the feasibility of creating a collaborative and circular network at Balearic level through a pilot project that allows us, on the one hand, to identify new plastic waste potentially viable for its reconversion into prime materials and, on the other hand, to encourage the identification of ways to reuse this waste through collaborating with people, businesses and entities interested in giving a second life to these materials.

Project legacy:

The project is designed to create sustainable, long-lasting outcomes by addressing plastic pollution through systemic changes in local business practices, community engagement, and circular economy initiatives.

1. Business Certification and Commitment: The project’s focus on certifying and supporting local businesses to reduce single-use plastics fosters a culture of sustainability that extends beyond the project’s duration. Businesses that achieve certification or make a formal commitment to reducing plastic use are likely to maintain these practices due to the economic and reputational benefits. This creates a long-term reduction in plastic waste as more businesses adopt and sustain environmentally friendly practices.

2. Circular Economy Initiatives: The expansion of the PescArt Menorca and PlasticLab Menorca projects ensures the ongoing transformation of plastic waste into valuable products. These initiatives not only reduce pollution but also create economic incentives for artists and artisans to continue repurposing discarded materials. By providing training and resources, the project empowers individuals to carry on these practices independently, promoting long- term economic and environmental sustainability.

3. Community Involvement and Awareness: By engaging the local community and tourists in plastic collection outings, workshops, and awareness campaigns, the project builds a foundation of environmental consciousness. This heightened awareness is likely to result in lasting behavioral changes in both residents and visitors, leading to ongoing efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

4. Infrastructure and Reuse Points: The establishment of infrastructure, such as beach reuse stations and water fountains, promotes long-term waste reduction by encouraging tourists and locals to opt for reusable items rather than single-use plastics. These permanent installations will continue to support sustainable behaviors long after the project concludes.

Through these strategies, the project creates self-sustaining mechanisms that ensure its impact endures beyond its formal end.

ABOUT PLASTIC FREE MENORCA ALLIANCE

The Alliance

The Plastic Free Menorca Alliance is a platform created in 2020 by MeP, formed by different Menorcan entities (OBSAM, GOB Menorca, Leader Association and 0 Plastic Menorca) with an important trajectory in the protection and preservation of the environment, with the aim of joining forces to work towards a plastic free Menorca.

Since 2020 the Plastic Free Menorca Alliance has been working hard to reduce plastic pollution on the island and to raise awareness of this environmental problem.