Playa del Carmen, Mexico — An atypical arrival of approximately one thousand tons of sargassum, outside the most intense period of the season, activated a large-scale cleanup operation on Monday in the El Recodo area of Playa del Carmen.
Joint Containment Work Underway
More than 30 personnel from the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), in coordination with staff from the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) and boatmen from the Playa del Carmen Tourist Cooperative, are working jointly to contain the environmental and operational impact of the seaweed’s early arrival.
According to information gathered at the site, the sargassum was distributed across various points of the urban coastline, primarily around streets 12, 14, 16, and up to Constituyentes, with the highest concentration at El Recodo, where cleanup crews needed to be reinforced.
Arduous Manual Labor
The work is being carried out manually due to the severe erosion present in this beach area, which prevents the entry of machinery. The seaweed is collected by hand, bagged, and transported to 14th Street, where heavy equipment can access it for final disposal.
It is worth noting that, although the peak sargassum season typically occurs between April and September, recent years have seen early arrivals associated with changes in ocean currents. The first atypical event of the year occurred on January 8, when 25 tons arrived at Playa Mamitas, which has necessitated keeping active operations in place.
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