Cancún Breaks Sargassum Record with 13K Tons Collected

CANCÚN, Q. ROO — The city of Cancún has faced a historic influx of sargassum this year; from January to August, 13,009 tons of the macroalgae have been removed from its public beaches. This figure, reported by Antonio de la Torre Chambe, quadruples the 3,700 tons collected throughout the entirety of 2024.

The director of Public Services explained that a considerable spike in the seaweed washing ashore had been detected as early as May and June, to the extent that the amount collected in just those two months doubled the total from the previous year.

However, he highlighted that starting in July, the situation began to stabilize with a reduction in the arrival of sargassum to beaches such as Delfines, Coral, Tortugas, Las Perlas, and Langosta.

De la Torre Chambe detailed that this decrease has been related to climatological conditions: cyclonic fronts formed behind the Antilles and Cuba have diverted part of the sargassum toward the open sea, reducing its impact on the coasts of Cancún.

Confronting this crisis has required a joint effort. The official emphasized that the operations have had the support of state and federal authorities, including personnel from the State Police, Navy, and National Guard. During the most critical moments, more than 800 people participated, supported additionally by seven mechanical sweepers to expedite the cleaning of the sandy beaches.

Although the intensity of the seaweed washing ashore has diminished since July, the sargassum season will remain active until November, meaning the operations and contingency plan will be maintained.

“It is not every day, as our governor, our president, and the secretary general Pablo Gutiérrez, who is in charge in the municipality of controlling everything against the sargassum, very rightly say, nor is it on all the beaches. So, sometimes we do not go or we do not show up, but it is because it was not necessary to wear out the people to be there,” he expressed.

Regarding the destination of the removed sargassum, he specified that all of it has been deposited in the sanitary cell at parcel 175. It is an exclusive site enabled for its final disposal, while state projects that seek to utilize the macroalgae in a circular economy scheme move forward.