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The working day for collecting plastics on Sunday 16 September represented a new demonstration of public awareness. One hundred people signed up for the 8.30 am appointment organized by GOB. Some hours later, at the end, they had collected 475 kilograms of rubbish. Of these, only 36 kilograms were suitable for recycling.

They were able to get 10 kg of plugs, which will be taken to care solidarity projects, as well as 13 kg of light packaging and 13 kg of glass, which have been deposited in their respective recycling containers. Amongst the rubbish there were many plastic cotton buds, kilos of clothes, batteries, surf boards, ropes, toys, drums… and a great deal of plastic bits, large and small.

A total of 20 industrial sized bags were collected of non-recyclable rubbish, 4 industrial sized bags of packaging, 2 20 litre bags of bottle tops and 1 of glass, apart from 2 cubic metres of bulky waste that were deposited into a wagon.

The magnitude of the problem requires action such as this, but it is not sufficient. We ought to confront the problem from different positions. First of all, a reduction in the use of plastic, which is the objective of the campaign, #Compromis2020 (Commitment 2020) that we started this summer. Through this, agreements were signed by associations in Menorca to give up using disposable, plastic table ware and to opt for an environmentally friendly alternative when organising fiestas.

Now is the time for each one of us to take responsibility for this problem and decide to act. From collecting rubbish when we go out walking, to giving up using plastic disposable products such as tableware, or plastic cotton buds. Everyone can contribute to resolving this matter.

The working day of Sunday counts as part of the programme Playas y Voluntariado (Beaches and Volunteering) and relies on the support of the Fundación Biodiversidad (Biodiversity Foundation) of the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica (Ministry for Ecological Change).