Spain, Tarragona

Along with Barcelona’s industrial zone, Tarragona hosts around 60% of the Spanish plastic production and 25% of the chemical production. In 2018, activists first denounced the massive presence of plastic pellets on the beach of La Pineda in Vila-Seca (Tarragona). Since then, they monitor and document this pollution to put an end to it.

Overview

Spain, Tarragona

Tarragona is home to massive pellet pollution, contaminating several beaches including the nearby dunes and the Natura 2000 protected area of El Prats of Vila-Seca. This beach is part of the natural protected area of Sequia Major, a vulnerable wetland area and a resting place on bird migratory routes which provides shelter for several species, some of which are in danger of extinction. It is a unique and very diverse fresh and salt water environment which forms on the sandy sediments deposited by the River Francolí, mixed with seawater from the Mediterranean Sea. The pellets are handled in large quantities by the biggest petrochemical complex in Southern Europe, located in Tarragona, a few kilometres away from the sea.

Loading map...

Community Stories

Spain, Tarragona

Beach

Loading map...

Jordi Oliva

Co-founder of Good Karma Projects and a local resident of Tarragona, speaks of the important number of pellets leaking onto the beach, close to the largest petrochemical complex in Southern Europe. Since the prevailing wind blows from land to sea, the community is concerned that the pellets are being blown into the Mediterranean sea.