The Mijas Town Hall has removed over 1,500 tonnes of Asian algae from its beaches since January. Night work fails to stop the accumulation, which generates bad smells and mosquitoes.
The Asian algae has become the most persistent and costly visitor to the Andalusian coast. In Mijas, the Town Hall has removed over 1,500 tonnes since January, according to municipal data. Workers operate for eight hours each night to clean the nearly 14 kilometres of coastline, but the species returns to cover the sand within hours.
A relentless night job
“We start working at 1:00 AM and it’s non-stop,” explains a cleaning service worker. Another colleague adds that, although they remove the algae at night, “within hours it’s all the same again.” The accumulation is worsened by the wind: according to Mijas Beach Coordinator Juan Peinado, “depending on whether it’s a westerly or easterly wind, it goes to one beach or another, but it’s always affecting us.”
The high temperatures of recent days have further complicated the situation. The heat accelerates the rotting of the algae, which intensifies the bad smell and attracts mosquitoes. A young swimmer notes that “the smell is very strong, especially at sunset.”
Request for aid and search for solutions
The Mijas Beach Councillor, Daniel Jesús Gómez, has requested funding from other administrations: “It would be good if they at least covered part of the cost of removing the algae, but the main thing is to combat the algae offshore.” So far, the Ministry for Ecological Transition acknowledges that it is impossible to eradicate the species and states that autonomous communities must seek uses for the biomass.
In Mijas, they have already started to transform the algae into compost, a pilot initiative aimed at finding a use for the accumulated tonnes. If successful, it could be replicated in other municipalities along the Costa del Sol.
Impact on tourism and residents
The invasion of Asian algae directly affects the image of the beaches, a key tourist attraction in the area. Residents of Mijas Costa, especially in areas like La Cala or El Chaparral, notice the smell and the presence of mosquitoes from early morning. The Town Hall asks for patience while long-term solutions are sought.
Looking ahead to summer, the council will maintain night cleaning shifts and is considering increasing the frequency in the busiest beaches. Next week, they will meet with the Junta de Andalucía to discuss funding for the removal.
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