Huatulco Adopts Plastic-Free Strategy Under National Coastal Plan

The municipality of Huatulco, Oaxaca, officially adopted measures to protect 11 of its main beaches as part of Mexico’s National Strategy for Beach and Coastal Cleaning and Conservation 2025-2030, announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The initiative seeks to eliminate single-use plastics from Mexico’s coasts by 2030 and strengthen sustainable tourism practices.

Marina Robles, Deputy Minister of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), explained that plastic contamination is one of the world’s three main environmental crises, citing the Pacific Garbage Patch, where nearly 1M km2 of plastic cover the ocean’s surface. She stressed the risks plastics pose to marine ecosystems and human health, noting links between chemical additives in plastics and a 20% increase in childhood cancer cases in recent years.

Robles called on the tourism sector, local businesses and the public to eliminate single-use plastics and support the national commitment to achieve plastic-free beaches by 2030.

Julio Cárdenas, Huatulco Mayor, reaffirmed the municipality’s goal of becoming a national example of sustainable tourism and environmental protection. Since June, the municipality has carried out 30 cleaning campaigns, collecting over 1,345kg of inorganic waste, mainly single-use plastics. These actions have prevented the emission of 2.7t of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the annual carbon capture of 120 trees or avoiding 11,000km of car travel.

Cárdenas emphasized the importance of citizen participation in maintaining clean beaches, announcing plans to monitor progress through the National Monitoring Platform and implement waste management and prevention measures. The National Strategy seeks to coordinate local governments, federal agencies and citizens in achieving cleaner coasts and reducing marine pollution.