Quintana Roo’s Sargassum Park Turns Seaweed Into Sustainable Products

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Mexican state of Quintana Roo is moving forward with the creation of a Circular Economy Park dedicated to managing sargassum, a project aimed at developing sustainable uses for the seaweed that frequently washes ashore. The initiative, part of a presidential decree, was announced by Mexico’s Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Alicia Bárcena, during a working visit to the region.

A Presidential Initiative for Sustainable Solutions

Bárcena confirmed that President Claudia Sheinbaum has signed a decree to establish Circular Economy Parks, with one in Quintana Roo specifically focused on sargassum. The decree is set to be published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación, Mexico’s official government gazette.

“Part of yesterday’s work in Cancún was to announce that President Claudia Sheinbaum signed a decree for the creation of Circular Economy Parks, and one will be realized here in Quintana Roo, dedicated to sargassum,” Bárcena explained.

The park, named Poecibis (Circular Economy Park for Well-being), will consolidate various sargassum-based innovations, including bricks, pencils, shoe soles, and charcoal, among other products. The project was first introduced at the Annual Meeting of the Euroclima Program in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as a regional solution to the recurring sargassum problem.

Addressing a Growing Environmental Challenge

In 2025 alone, over 80,000 tons of sargassum have been collected from Quintana Roo’s beaches, underscoring the urgency of long-term solutions. During her visit, Bárcena met with Governor Mara Lezama to discuss strategies for combating the issue.

“The idea is to establish one of these parks in Quintana Roo,” Bárcena stated. “For example, one person produces sargassum-based products, another makes charcoal, shoes, or even dyes—all these initiatives can be housed in a single Circular Economy Park.”

She highlighted the potential involvement of companies like Carbon Wear, which processes sargassum into ready-to-use industrial materials, offering a scalable solution not just for Mexico but for the wider Caribbean region.

Environmental and Economic Priorities

Governor Mara Lezama emphasized that environmental protection is a top priority for Quintana Roo, given the state’s reliance on tourism driven by its natural beauty, including beaches, jungles, cenotes, and adventure attractions.

Following the meeting, officials agreed to establish technical monitoring mechanisms and inter-institutional working groups to advance the project. Bárcena noted that while Poecibis is being developed, legal progress has already been made, such as classifying sargassum as a fishery resource. Additional research is underway to ensure industrial applications do not pose health risks from heavy metal contamination.

The initiative represents a significant step toward transforming an environmental nuisance into an economic opportunity while safeguarding Quintana Roo’s vital ecosystems.