From nuisance to raw material: Trying to solve the sargassum crisis

From nuisance to raw material: Trying to solve the sargassum crisis

By early morning in Puerto Morelos, the beach is already buried — thick mats of sargassum stretch to the waterline, the air tinged with the smell of sulfur as the seaweed begins to decay. By breakfast time, crews are hauling it away by the truckload. But for every ton removed, many more remain. Another record-breaking year is unfolding for the smelly brown algae. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt surpassed 38 million tons in July 2025, a 40% inc…