Last May, the island of La Palma donated 24 tons of volcanic sand to the Madrid City Council. A symbolic gesture intended to give a new life to the remains of the Tajogaite volcano eruption and to strengthen the ties between the Canary Islands and the capital. The material was initially used to build a Canary Island wrestling arena in the Plaza de Callao during the celebration of Canary Island Day, in an event that brought together authorities and sportsmen from both regions.
However, once the event was over, the volcanic sand has not yet found a definitive use in Madrid. Although the aim was to use it to cover beach volleyball courts and other municipal sports facilities, the City Council discarded this option when it realized that the morphology of the material made it unsuitable: volcanic sand tends to overheat, which makes it unsuitable for outdoor sports activities.
Tons of volcano sand in Madrid
Currently, the tons of sand remain stored in an industrial warehouse in Torrelodones, according to El Diario, while waiting for the Madrid consistory to find an alternative destination. The Environment Department is studying possible environmental uses for this material, but to date no agreement has been formalized nor has the Canary Island gift been disposed of. The cost of storage is borne by the logistics company that managed the transfer, while the administrations involved are looking for a solution that will allow this resource to be used in a useful way.
The situation has generated some controversy and confusion both in the Canary Islands and in Madrid, since the donation was presented as an act of twinning and sustainability, but the lack of planning and administrative coordination has left the volcanic sand unused, waiting for a destination that honors the effort and intention of the Palmeros.