• Català
  • Castellano
  • English

Environment

Organics pick-up is back—Formentera reactivates collection service for island's biggest waste producers

foto-porta-a-porta-mate--ria-o1The environment office of the Formentera Council reports organic waste collection will resume this year on May 15 and be provided through mid-October. In a continuation of last year's setup, pick-up service will be operated on two routes servicing medium- and large-sized waste generators on the island.

All told, 170 businesses are handing over their bagged organic scraps as part of the door-to-door pick-up scheme. Businesses who have questions about the programme can put questions to two of the environment office's informadors (“informers”) or three other dedicated agents.

Following the success of last year's ministration, in 2019 the Council is also offering door-to-door plastics pick-up at businesses located inside ses Salines nature reserve.

The non-profit recycling promotors Ecoembes have put together funding to hire an additional environmental informer to help boost recycling on the island.

A look back at 2018
During five months of service in 2018, 527.4 tonnes of organic waste was collected from 170 participating establishments. The success of the effort in 2018 was key to contracting an additional informer and distributing yellow collection bins at business to encourage increased recycling.

The administration's environment councillor hailed businesses' collaboration in the initiative and said she hoped the positive reaction would hold strong, “because the benefits aren't just environmental, they're economic, too”.


May 14, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

Formentera rolls out pest control measures

control-de-moscards-1The Formentera Council's department of environment is unveiling its newest drive to keep numbers of mosquitos and lake flies under control in the ses Salines nature preserve. Operations are planned at a handful of fresh water points, generally preferred sites among pests depositing their larvae, at s'Estany Pudent, s'Estany des Peix and ses Salines d'en Marroig.

Crews stepped up fumigations during the initiative's first weeks in light of heavy rainfall at the start of the year which could potentially play a part in ballooning mosquito numbers. Three day-long efforts are scheduled for next week. Later in the season the operation will be repeated once a week, though the frequency can be increased and the application area expanded if operators determine it to be necessary.

Treatment plan
Crews are using the maximum dosage allowed by law as they spray a bio agent called Bacillus thuringiensis Israeliensis across parts of ses Salines. The idea is to achieve maximum ambient levels of the substance, a natural insecticide that works by acting directly on larvae growing in stagnant water.

Two operators oversee control measures, which involve special rucksacks that are filled with the insecticide and fitted with dusting equipment. Spraying the product in its pulverised state is seen as a more effective form of application. The effort is scheduled to continue through October.

Though the price tag initially placed on 2019 operations, €32,208, officials have already said they are prepared to increase this figure should inconvenciences associated with the mosquitos and lake flies persist.


May 10, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

Formentera marks return to repurposing posidonia seagrass

foto-posidonia-ca-mari-- prems1The Formentera Council's office of environment is offering local farmers Posidonia oceanica seagrass from island beaches to encourage traditional applications like reusing it as a fertiliser for crops, bedding for animals and ceiling isolation in country homes. Islanders keen to benefit from the programme should contact the environment office—l'àrea de Medi Ambient—in person, by phone (971.32.12.10) or via email (mediambient@conselldeformentera.cat). Delivery is provided free of charge.

The Council's removal of the seagrass happens in coordination with the Spanish coastal authority. Environment chief Daisee Aguilera said crews were at beaches in Cala Saona and es Ca Marí, where residents had requested the service specifically. The material piled up this winter and particularly during recent days of rough weather.

Four hundred cubic metres of the seagrass have been hauled off to date. Aguilera said beaches had also been combed for plastics and pollutants that wash up on the shoreline in winter—part of an effort not only to improve the image that greets the island's early summer visitors, but especially to care for the local environment. The councillor also saluted the non-profits and volunteers that took part in clearing washed up rubbish from beaches and the shoreline.


April 24, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

Plastic-free Formentera

foto-conscienciacio---escoles1The Formentera Council's environment department is backing “Plàstics Fora” (No More Plastics), an educational programme that is piloted by the non-profit group Cleanwave and aimed at reducing people's consumption of single-use plastics.

Pupils in Sant Francesc and Sant Ferran took park in a series of eight workshops for children thanks to a €2,125 grant from the Council. Three privately-funded workshops were held in la Mola last November.

Workshop participants screen a video explaining the global problem of plastic and sit for a storytelling session exploring the subject. Children take a version of the story home with them to discuss the issue in family.

May 8, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

Formentera launches marketplace consultation before renewing waste collection and cleaning contracts

foto-servei-neteja1The Formentera Council's environment department reports that the administration is commissioning a marketplace consultation ahead of the upcoming tender of contracts for urban solid waste and organic matter collection and transport, roadway cleaning and landscaped area and beach maintenance. The current contract ends February 28, 2020.

“The test will be conducted before the service goes to tender so we can make sure we're getting the best technical solutions for Formentera's particular situation”, said CiF environment chief Daisee Aguilera. The move, said the councillor, is about “ensuring we pick the service provider who can offer us the most”, which is why the administration is teeing up a series of questions for firms that specialise in the domain.

Collection systems
Companies that submit proposals for collection systems will have to meet the recycling goals outlined in the island's waste directive, not to mention make accommodations for the local land strategy—the Pla Territorial Insular—over the eight years (renewable for another two) the contact is valid.

Proposals must also be attuned to regional legislation on contaminated wastes and soils, and bidders will have to present financially viable proposals that include environmentally sound machinery and vehicles which align with Formentera's sustainable mobility strategy.

The proposal, adopted by government committee on April 5 and published on the national public tender platform, can be viewed at https://contrataciondelestado.es/wps/wcm/connect/f58063f1-b0c3-4c3a-b417-c4b4905fe6c2/DOC201904091221212_Cert+Acord+Prop+Consultes+Preliminars+del+Mercat.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Interested firms have until April 29 to submit their bids.

Highlighting the fragility of the island and the importance of preservation, councillor Aguilera said priority would be given to sustainability and firms that factor for Formentera's limited water resources by using reclaimed water and take appropriate precautions to protect resources like Posidonia oceanica in their beach cleanup plans.

April 17, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

More Articles...

Page 37 of 68

37