Terenia Taras
TWO Mallorcan hospitality businesses are amongst the first five in the Balearics Islands to receive the Plastic Free Guardian Certification for reducing their use of plastics.
Agroturismo Ses Arenes, a converted finca hotel in Parc Natural Es Trenc-Salobrar de Campos, and A GoGo Pizza, an artisan pizza restaurant in Palma, were awarded their “Plastic Free Balearics” status for successfully reducing single-use plastics.
The certification is a joint initiative between Ibiza Preservation and Mallorca’s Save The Med Foundation and includes Plastic Free Ibiza and Formentera and Plastic Free Menorca.
It was co-financed by Monaco-based, Beyond Plastic Med.
Participating businesses first receive an assessment of their consumption of single-use plastics and suggestions for improvements to help them reduce and eliminate their use of single use plastic items.
Any hospitality businesses across the islands can become Plastic Free Guardians and earn from 1, up to 5 stars, free-of-charge.
The key requirement to achieve all five stars is to have eliminated or replaced single use plastic products that are banned under the Balearic Law.
There are requirements for the reduction of “red flagged” items, which are most likely to end up in seas and coastlines, for example plastic bottles, straws, cutlery, containers etc.
The certification promotes the move from single use plastic items to reusable alternatives, rather than replacement with other single use materials. However, the certification does not yet recognise bioplastics as an alternative to conventional plastics.
Jaime Bagur, a Project Manager, said: “This ambitious certification is a fundamental tool for businesses that really want to minimise their environmental impact.
At the same time, it offers key elements that help businesses obtain a competitive advantage, contributing as well to improve the competitiveness of the Balearic Islands as a tourist destination.”
The star-ranking system is graded. One Star means a business has managed to eliminate or replace 20% of flagged products. Two Stars equals 40% of flagged products.
Three stars means 60% of flagged products have been eliminated or replaced with honest alternatives. Four stars, up to 80% of flagged products have been changed for honest alternatives and at least 50% of these are reusable.
And businesses that achieve Five Stars will have managed to eliminate or replace 100% of flagged products with honest alternatives and at least 80-100% of these must be reusable.
The five businesses to have achieved Plastic Free Guardian Certification include;
Agroturismo Ses Arenes @sesarenes in Mallorca, A GoGo Pizza @agogopizza in Mallorca, Experimental Beach @eccbeach in Ibiza, Café Matinal @cafematinalformentera in Formentera, and El Faro Restaurant-Cala Torret @elfarorestaurant_torret in Minorca.
Any business wishing to participate can find more information by visiting; www.plasticfreebalearics.org
