Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket debris poisons Mexico's Bagdad beach, threatens endangered turtles
Elon Musk
's
SpaceX
. The launchpad of the space technology company lies just across the border in Boca Chica in South Texas, USA.
Many Mexican scientists reportedly believe that it is killing wildlife in the region, including dolphins and fish. What makes matters worse is that the accumulation of wreckage on the beach is probably putting endangered species Kemp's ridley sea turtles, mostly present at the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, at risk.
According to the US National Marine Fisheries Service website, the Kemp's ridley turtle is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The US agency further stated that the nesting population experienced a devastating decline between the late 1940s and the mid-1980s. The number of nests reached a record low of 702 in 1985, representing fewer than 250 nesting females.
Boca Chica is the testing ground for Starship, the spacecraft that Musk believes will one day ferry people to Mars. Several tests carried out in the recent months have failed and ended up in explosions. The explosions have caused debris to rain down on both countries (the US and Mexico) and in the Gulf of Mexico.
In June 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her government is investigating the 'security and environmental' effects of SpaceX rockets. She said that during the investigation, it was discovered that 'there is indeed contamination.' She further said that her government is trying to find out whether Musk's rockets have violated international laws and will file 'necessary lawsuits.'
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Reacting to the matter, SpaceX has claimed that the material from rocket failures does not have any chemical, biological, or toxicological risks.
Since November 2024, Conibio Global, a small non-governmental organization, has taken up the daunting task of cleaning up trash that is left behind following SpaceX rocket launches.
Jesús Elías Ibarra, founder of Conibio Global, told CNN that in November 2024, he witnessed one of the launches of the Elon Musk-owned company and saw one of the rocket boosters fall into the Gulf of Mexico. That time, Ibarra said, people arrived in at least three helicopters and more than 10 boats just a few hours later to clean up.
In May 2025, however, there was another launch that added to the misery, leaving behind more debris. Speaking about it, the activist said that this time, the activist claims, millions of particles ended up contaminating the area on the Mexican side.
A few days later, the organization collected more than a ton of waste in an area of 500 meters, he claimed. 'In half a kilometer out of the 40 kilometers of shoreline, we already collected one ton [of trash],' Ibarra said, CNN reported. 'We are a very small group; it's impossible to clean everything,' he further stated.
Ibarra said that Conibio Global handed the debris to the Mexican government's environmental protection agency, PROFEPA.
SpaceX Reacts
SpaceX responded to queries from CNN and referred to what they published on X on June 26, where they claim to have offered resources and support for cleanup efforts.
The space technology company claimed that they have also requested local and federal assistance from the Mexican government for debris recovery. Under the Outer Space Treaty, SpaceX is entitled to have its debris returned.
The statement further stated that the company had performed tests that they claim confirm that there are no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks associated with the flotsam and jetsam of a typical SpaceX launch.
On its website, SpaceX has openly claimed that it is committed to minimizing the impact and improving the environment whenever possible. The company has also highlighted agreements with various US agencies and the Texas government.
Some objects found during cleanup operations carried SpaceX label, says Ibarra
Conibio Global founder Ibarra said that some of the objects found during cleanup operations are solid and spongy plastics. It is a type of rubber with a consistency similar to cork, aluminum with SpaceX labels, pieces of plastic bubble wrap, steel tubes, and pieces of a blue-colored adhesive.
He further went on to claim that some portion of the debris could end up being ingested by
Kemp's ridley turtles
, an endangered species of sea turtle that inhabits the area.
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