Tunisian beaches face severe plastic pollution, annual cleanup expands

Nabil Mokhtar, head of the mechanical beach cleaning program, reported on June 2, 2026, on the alarming state of Tunisia's coastline and announced the expansion of the annual sanitation campaign. The operation now covers 152 beaches along approximately 180 kilometers of coastline, up from 139 beaches previously. Nearly 6,500 hectares are included in this campaign, which typically runs until the end of summer, sometimes extending to October. Mokhtar noted the mobilization of human and logistical resources despite the scarcity of specialized companies. During the previous campaign, about 13,000 cubic meters of waste were collected, 85% of which was plastic, equating to over 11,000 cubic meters of plastic materials. He compared this volume to about 4.4 Olympic swimming pools filled with plastic or more than 550 large dump trucks. This accumulation is primarily attributed to irresponsible individual behaviors, such as discarding bags, bottles, and packaging directly into nature or the sea. Mokhtar highlighted the long degradation times for plastics in the marine environment: plastic bags can take 100 to 500 years, and some plastic bottles up to 450 years. Even after degradation, these materials turn into micro-particles that contaminate water, soil, air, and the food chain. He also mentioned polystyrene, which can persist for thousands of years. These invisible microplastics end up in fish, food, and drinking water, posing an indirect but lasting health threat. Mokhtar emphasized