Government activates pre-alert in Tenerife due to the presence of plastic pellets

A statement from the Canary Islands Government yesterday (Wednesday) reported the presence of plastic pellets in the sea on the shores of Bajamar in Tenerife. The origin, as reported by the EFE news agency, has been traced back to a ship spill in Portugal.

Under the Canary Islands Territorial Civil Protection Plan, the regional government has activated a pre-alert and is urging vigilance and caution from the public and boat companies, for the potential widespread arrival of these contaminating substances on the Archipelago's coasts.

"The activation is a preventive measure to ensure that emergency resources from the Canary Islands Government are on standby and available if needed, and the coordination of intervening 112 emergency services," explained the Directorate General of Emergencies.

The pellets were detected around 10:00am yesterday on Bajamar Beach in the municipality of San Cristóbal de La Laguna by the Beach Rescue and Lifesaving Service. In response, an initial surveillance system has been established on the north coast of Tenerife, including a Maritime Rescue boat. This boat will be responsible for locating and retrieving such materials at sea to prevent their arrival on the coast.

The Directorate General emphasised that this monitoring should also be conducted on land by beach lifeguard services in other parts of the Canary Islands, as the currents spread them quickly into other areas.

The Canary Islands Government has deployed GES helicopters and drones to support the surveillance network. Additionally, they will analyse the collected sample to confirm the origin of the pellets and determine if the material matches that of the spill near Portugal, where the ship Toconao lost part of its cargo. These small balls have also reached Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country.

Pellets, also known as "mermaid tears," are small balls used as raw material to manufacture plastic products. Experts have already warned of the risk these plastics pose to marine organisms, as they ingest them, mistaking them for food.