Beach clean-up in Calvia

Calvia 2000 has started the annual beach clean-up in Santa Ponça

Calvia 2000, the company responsible for cleaning the beaches in the district, is working hard to prepare the beaches for the influx of of tourists and residents expected in Calvia during the Easter period. 70 percent of hotels in the district have opened.

Andrés Barceló, manager of Calvia 2000, pointed out that “cleaning begins now and is maintained throughout the season, depending on the circumstances and storms”. Along with the cleaning, the sand is being flattened and walkways and litter bins are being installed.

Posidonia on the beach

The Posidonia (Mediterranean seagrass) accumulated during the winter is being removed and stored away from the beaches until it can be returned to the coast to continue with the natural cycle of regeneration.

The reed barriers installed to prevent the loss of sand caused by storms and strong winds are also being removed. These are necessary preliminary steps before the beach furniture such as walkways and litter bins can be put in place.

Regulations allow urban beaches to be cleared of Posidonia from March 15 and the campaign has started in Santa Ponça. Special machinery can be used on beaches considered to be urban.

Natural beaches with services will be cleared from May 1.

Machinery cannot be used at all on natural beaches without services, where removal must be carried out by hand.

At the end of the season, the stored Posidonia is returned to the beach, as Andrés Barceló explains: “A special shovel attachment is used to clear the beaches so that the sand is not removed. It is then returned to the beach to preserve the natural barriers that prevent the loss of sand in winter storms”.