Güímar Beach Cleanup Yields Over Half a Ton of Waste for Marine Research
Coca-Cola and Terramare Medioambiente, with the help of volunteers and local organizations, collected 547 kilos of waste from El Socorro beach in Güímar as part of the "Mares Circulares" program, adding valuable data to a long-term study on marine conservation.
Last Saturday, Terramare Medioambiente and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners teamed up with volunteers for a beach cleanup at El Socorro in Güímar. It was part of their "Mares Circulares" (Circular Seas) program.
They collected 547 kilos of rubbish! This was sorted for recycling, and the details will be added to a database that's been tracking cleanups since 2018. This information helps scientists study how to protect our seas and oceans.
The rubbish included: 47kg of light packaging, 70kg of other plastics, 22.5kg of glass, 13.5kg of paper and cardboard, 24kg of textiles, 213kg of processed wood, 49kg of ceramics and construction materials, and 57kg of general waste. They also found tires, metal, glass, and medicines.
CD Tenerife (a football club) and its foundation, CD Tenerife EDI, Güímar City Council, and the Cabildo de Tenerife's environmental department all helped out.
The data from this cleanup will be added to information gathered from 1,163 locations through regular collections by Coca-Cola's Mares Circulares program since 2018. This record is available for researchers and scientists to develop new ideas that will really help protect marine environments.
Carlos Ruiz, from CD Tenerife, said the club is happy to support environmental causes. "CD Tenerife always helps with these kinds of events because we know we have a role to play in society. We need to keep our coastline clean, and these actions are important to raise awareness."
Víctor Morales, from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Iberia in the Canary Islands, said the islands are key to the Mares Circulares program. "The Canary Islands are important because of their unique marine life, and because the local people, organizations, and government are committed to protecting the environment."
Morales added that the cleanup at El Socorro beach shows how important the islands are in the effort to protect our seas. It provides valuable data for research and proves that local teamwork can have a big impact on ocean sustainability.
In 2024 alone, Mares Circulares has collected over 376 tons of waste, thanks to 9,731 volunteers and fishing groups from 16 ports. Last year, they organized 169 cleanups on beaches and in the water, including 22 marine reserves and protected areas, and eight underwater cleanups.