50 Kilos of Rubbish Carried Out of Lanzarote’s El Risco Beach by Volunteers
A heavy reminder to leave Lanzarote’s beaches better than you found them
One of Lanzarote’s most spectacular and remote coastal spots has been given some much-needed attention after a group of volunteers carried around 50 kilos of rubbish out of the dunes at El Risco beach.
The clean-up took place on Sunday, 6 September, when five volunteers tackled a significant accumulation of waste that had built up in the area over a period of months. The rubbish was then carried back up from the beach and taken to Lanzarote’s clean points, where it was separated according to material to help with recycling.
And there is still plenty more work to do.
A beautiful beach with an ugly problem
Playa de Bajo El Risco, often simply known as El Risco beach, sits beneath the dramatic cliffs of Famara, with spectacular views across the water towards La Graciosa and the Chinijo Archipelago.
It is precisely the sort of place that attracts people looking for a quieter side of Lanzarote, away from the island’s busier tourist resorts.
But its remote location also means that removing rubbish isn’t exactly straightforward.
The volunteers found a mixture of marine debris and waste left by people visiting the area. Among the material collected were fishing nets, ropes, plastic, large containers and other items, alongside rubbish that had more recently been abandoned by visitors.
Some of the older waste had already deteriorated due to the island’s sun, wind and natural erosion, making it increasingly difficult to separate from the surrounding sand and dunes.
50 kilos is only part of the story
The 50 kilos removed during Sunday’s operation represents only part of the rubbish that has accumulated in the area.
Reports from the clean-up indicate that a substantial amount of waste remains on the beach, meaning another visit is planned to continue the removal operation.
And getting the rubbish out is no easy task.
Unlike a beach where a collection vehicle can simply drive alongside the sand, Bajo El Risco requires the waste to be physically carried back up the route from the beach.
That makes every bottle, piece of plastic, rope and fishing net considerably more significant when it has to be transported by hand.
The dangerous cycle of abandoned rubbish
One of the most frustrating aspects of the situation is that an existing pile of rubbish can actually encourage further dumping.
The volunteers reported that some people arriving at the beach appear to see an existing accumulation of waste and assume that it is an unofficial place to leave their own rubbish.
That creates a particularly damaging cycle: rubbish is left behind, more people see it and add to it, and what started as marine debris becomes an increasingly large dumping area.
Of course, not everything found on Lanzarote’s coastline has been deliberately abandoned by visitors. Marine litter can travel considerable distances, with fishing equipment, plastic and other material reaching the island’s beaches from the sea.
But whatever its original source, once rubbish is sitting among the dunes, it becomes a problem for the environment and the people who have to remove it.
Why keeping Lanzarote’s coastline clean matters
For anyone who lives in Lanzarote or visits the island regularly, it is easy to understand why places such as El Risco are worth protecting.
The beach is part of a remarkably natural landscape, and official tourism information specifically asks visitors not to leave waste, disturb wildlife or damage the surrounding environment.
Plastic and other waste can also become a hazard for marine life if it reaches the Atlantic. Fishing lines, ropes and nets are particularly concerning because they can entangle animals, while plastic waste can break down into smaller particles over time.
That means a clean beach isn’t simply about having somewhere that looks nice for photographs.
It is about protecting Lanzarote’s coastline, marine environment and wildlife for the future.
A little effort from every visitor makes a difference
There is a simple message behind the El Risco clean-up that applies to every beach in Lanzarote.
If you bring it with you, take it home with you.
That applies whether you’re spending the day at Playa de Famara, visiting Papagayo, exploring the coastline around Haría or making the trek down to Bajo El Risco.
A bottle, food wrapper, cigarette butt or plastic bag might seem insignificant on its own. But multiply that by thousands of visitors and residents enjoying Lanzarote’s beaches throughout the year, and the impact becomes much more obvious.
The official guidance for El Risco also reminds visitors that the beach is an unsupervised natural environment and asks people to respect its wildlife and surroundings.
Hats off to the volunteers
The five people who spent part of their Sunday collecting rubbish deserve recognition.
They didn’t create the problem, but they chose to do something about it.
Around 50 kilos of waste was hauled away, sorted and taken to appropriate clean points, while plans are already being made to return and continue the clean-up.
It is a useful reminder that protecting Lanzarote’s natural beauty isn’t solely the responsibility of councils, environmental organisations or volunteers.
It’s something that everyone who lives on or visits the island can contribute to.
