Calls to halt the manure processing plant at Sant Carles Castle in Palma: "It's a monumental mistake"

PalmThe heritage protection entity ARK has asked the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) not to grant the concession for the future liquid waste plant planned for the port of Palma, as it believes that it would directly affect the heritage value of the San Carlos Castle"One of the most valuable elements" of the area.

ARCA's vice president, Àngels Fermoselles, has warned that it would be "a monumental mistake" for the APB's Board of Directors, scheduled to meet this Wednesday, to approve awarding the project to the winning company. According to the organization, the facility would be located right next to the port's "quintessential heritage" element.

ARCA has opposed the plant from the outset, arguing that it would damage the image of the historical heritage and generate ecological and landscape impacts, as well as increase vehicle traffic. In this regard, it maintains that there are more suitable locations outside the port for an industrial facility of this type.

Furthermore, the organization has criticized the "secrecy" with which, it claims, the bidding process has been handled. Remember that, in parallel, the APB had opened a public participation process on the future of the Port of Palma, in which this issue was not raised. For all these reasons, ARCA demands that, at the very least, the decision not be approved and be postponed. The Castle of Sant Carles, built between the 17th and 18th centuries to defend the Port of Palma, currently houses the Military Museum. Throughout the 20th century, it had various uses, such as a hospital, officers' prison, and salute battery, until it became a museum in 1981. Waste transfer from Ibiza

Meanwhile, a pilot program to transfer waste from Ibiza to the Son Reus incineration plant in Palma is scheduled to begin in April. The Ibiza Council has specified that the project will cost €10 million and will involve moving approximately 30,000 tons of manure. The aim is to extend the lifespan of the Ca na Putxa landfill in Santa Eulària, which is nearing capacity.

This project comes after a complex political and legal process. The Balearic Government approved it at the end of 2025 A decree law allowing the transfer of waste between islands has been passed, after a previous initiative was rejected by the Balearic Parliament. The legislation includes a €50 million allocation to compensate Mallorca and allows for a reduction of up to 10% in the waste collection fee by 2026. The initiative, however, has not been without controversy. Environmental groups such as GOB have warned that the potential massive influx of waste to be incinerated at Son Reus poses a "serious environmental and community threat."