Costing 28.000€ the Balearic Government environment authorities are supplying free of charge to most of the beaches around the islands 300.000 special cone shaped ashtrays to be distributed daily to tourists. These cone shaped ashtrays can be stuck easily in the sand and once full taken to waste bins. This action has been taken because apparently cotton buds and cigarette ends make up the highest percentage of all the refuge collected at the beaches on the islands.
It was also reported that the water and sea bed near the shore line will be cleaned again this summer using a fleet of small cleaning vessels. These vessels retrieved 206 metric tons of waste from the sea in 2005 and do an excellent job to improve and protect the environment.

The authorities in Eivissa Town are currently working towards a new life saving and security strategy for the beaches in the borough in collaboration with the Red Cross. The Balearic Government has imposed new regulations applying to beach security throughout the islands, which contemplate life guard cover throughout all of the year not just summer. It appears that in the case of Eivissa this will mean doubling the number of life guards from 7 to 14 and implementing the service well before the middle of June as was normally the case. This expansion of the service will be centred on the main beaches of Playa den Bossa, which has one life guard tower, Figueretas which has 3 and Talamanca which has 2 whilst the life guards will still only have 1 Jet Ski and 1 inflatable launch at their disposal. The town Hall is now examining how to fund this expanded life guard and beach security system for the borough.

The Town Hall in Formentera is to spend 133.481€ funding Red Cross life guards to carry out life saving, first aid and beach safety duties on the island’s beaches this summer. The money will pay wages, lodgings and maintenance of equipment for the 6 life guards as well as 2 extra guards who will join the service during the months of July and August. The life guards will be divided into 2 groups based at the Playa Mitjorn beach and the Llevant beach. They will have also 2 jet skis to help them with their duties.

The Town Hall in Formentera called all the beach kiosk concession owners to a meeting last week to go over the food handling laws with them. As there were complaints last year from some consumers the Town Hall want the kiosk operators to have the law clear. Until law changes are made possibly by 2007, the kiosks cannot be enlarged to allow kitchens, showers, toilets etc to be built. Given the present situation the kiosks can only legally sell pre-prepared packaged food and apparently under no concept handle or prepare their own food or dishes.

Ibifor the company owning a large land extensions in Ses Salines, has asked for permission to create new pay-parking places with a capacity of 260 cars, like the ones that are there since last year.
Ibifor charges three euros a day for cars and two euros for motorcycles. Competition apply five euros a day for cars and two euros for motorcycles. Both parkings will continue working this year with the same prices as in 2005. During the winter both parkings are open for free.
Last year there were problems of parking in ses Salines, specially during the months of July and August. Consequently, many vehicles must park in the borders of the highway and in the roundhouse, sometimes the crane takes them away and they are forced to pay a fine.

A recent study about environmental health and state of the beaches in the borough of Sant Antoni recommends to not remove sea weed at any time of the year. If sea weed has eventually to be removed this should never be done by a mechanical method. The sea weed, in particular the Poisidonia (Sea eel grass), is one of the ways the sediment in the sea is held together to create beaches. The report also seemingly says that the sea creatures living on the sea bed need to be cared for as they also help create healthy naturally consolidated beaches.

By next summer there will be a web operating called www.ibizabeach-guide.com set up by the Consell and their emergency department. Travellers will locate beaches by GPS and will find up to the minute information on the state of the beach, what type of warning flag is flying, the state of the sea how many people are on the beach as well as directions to get there. Whilst extremely useful information for the tourists and residents, the web will also allow the emergency services to react much more quickly to problems at the beaches around the island.

Authorities are planning to set by next summer a webcam on every beach of the Balearic islands to obtain information regarding security and real time crowding conditions.
Information will be available in different languages to public on the website www.platgesdebalears.com.

This year the independent non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education has awarded 14 ‘Blue Flags’ to Ibiza’s beaches.
The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services.

The 14 beaches this year are; Cala Vadella, Cala Conta, Cala Bassa, Cala Jondal, Cala d’Hort, Las Salinas, Cala Gracio’, Cala Salada, es Reguer, sa Cala de Sant Vicent, s’Arenal Gran de Portinatx, Cala Llenya, Cala Llonga and San Antonio.

We’re wondering how long this little nice chiringuito located aside Bora Bora will resist to the cementification of Playa den Bossa…Jet apartments anyone?