EIGHTY sizeable new containers for collecting plastic and briks are being set up along the Playa de Palma by the municipal rubbish disposal company, Emaya.
The move comes as part of a City Council improvement plan to make Palma a cleaner place and to upgrade selective rubbish collection along the Playa de Palma, Ca'n Pastilla and El Arenal.
During the presentation of the new containers on the Playa de Palma yesterday, the Mayor's deputy and president of Emaya, Antoni Nadal, said that this measure is a step further towards environmental protection, the development of rubbish recycling and reducing the amounts of rubbish produced. One of the districts with the poorest record as far as this type of service is concerned, was the Playa de Palma argued Nadal, who highlighted the fact that the recently installed containers will be added to the 111 already-existing facilities for the collection of paper and 114 for depositing glass.
He also pointed to the fact that the 80 new containers means that there will be a receptacle for collecting plastic in the area for every 172 inhabitants.
According to Nadal, this ratio is much better than the one legally established under municipal cleaning and rubbish collection statutes, which demand one container for every 500 people.
Emaya predict that the new containers will be collecting 339 tons of plastic rubbish a year, 190 tons of it during the tourist high season (July, August and part of September).
The estimates made by the municipal rubbish collection company also indicated that the containers will be used during the year by 13'762 people, a figure which could rise to 38'000 during the summer season.
The containers have a capacity of 3'200 litres, explained Nadal, who added that they are fabricated with hardened resin, a component which in his opinion facilitates maintenance.
Because of the fact the containers will be located close to the sea, it was necessary to make them out of a material which could guarantee durability and ease of manoeuvre.
They weigh less and are easy to clean, he argued.
The mayor's deputy announced that next Spring, Emaya will instal containers for light containers and plastic bottles in those zones of Palma which lack this type of installation.
Earlier this month, the city council stepped up the cleaning of the beaches and the Balearic government is also giving preference to cleaning up the rubbish found floating in the sea around the coast.
Plastic, in the form of wrappings and bottles, is one of the biggest culprits.
The city council hopes that the new containers for plastic will go a long way towards solving the problem of keeping the popular resort areas of Arenal, the Playa de Palma and Can Pastilla cleaner.