Over 100 students clear 65kg of waste from Benajarafe beach in just 3 hours

Instead of spending Friday morning in the classroom, local teenagers took to the sand at Benajarafe beach, pulling nearly double last year’s rubbish haul off the coastline.

Students from secondary schools in Velez-Malaga and Cordoba took part in the clean-up on Friday, October 9 from 11am to 2pm, as part of the European Union’s #EUBeachCleanUp campaign.

A bigger haul than last year

Volunteers collected rubbish from the sand, then weighed and sorted it by type and likely origin. This year’s total of 65kg compares with 35kg gathered during the previous edition at La Cala del Moral, where finds included cigarette ends, fishing material and small pieces of plastic.

Benajarafe hosted the initiative for the first time in its fourth year, with earlier clean-ups taking place in Torrox, Algarrobo and Rincon de la Victoria, bringing the programme to different parts of the eastern Costa del Sol.

Why the beach clean-up matters

After the fieldwork, students attended an environmental awareness workshop on the value of the marine environment and the impact of waste on coastal ecosystems. Organisers wanted the day to go beyond filling bags, helping young people see how litter on land can affect the sea.

Jesus Maria Claros, Malaga provincial council’s deputy for European resources, said: “Marine pollution starts on land, which is why environmental education is the first tool for protecting our coastline.”

Council cleaning services

Velez-Malaga town hall says its beach-cleaning service operates throughout the year across 22km of coast, using staff and equipment provided by local company EMVIPSA. During the busiest months, from June to September, additional resources are deployed to maintain the beaches.

Council rules prohibit people from leaving rubbish on the sand and require waste to be placed in the bins provided. The student clean-up complements the council’s routine beach-maintenance work.

Part of a global campaign

#EUBeachCleanUp has run since 2017 and is led by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, together with the European External Action Service and the United Nations. It brings together clean-up activities around the world to draw attention to waste reaching the oceans and its effect on marine biodiversity.

What it means for the coast

Benajarafe’s beach depends not only on council services but on the habits of everyone who uses it. Taking rubbish home, cutting down on single-use plastics and joining local clean-ups can all reduce what ends up in the sea.

With 65kg removed in just three hours, this year’s student-led effort offers a hopeful example of how young people, local authorities and European programmes can work together to protect one of the Axarquia’s most stunning landscapes.