06 Jun Blue flags for Italian beaches
The number of Blue Flags in Italy is growing, reaching 368 beaches, 26 more than last year. The record for the most Flags goes, once again, to the region of Liguria.
Each year the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) designates the “Blue Flag” award through very rigorous procedures: the locations are selected by an international jury, and later by a national jury, and these selections are based on 32 sustainability criteria, including water quality and recycling. The FEE collaborates with several organizations, including the Ministry for Environment, Culture and Tourism, in order to reach the final judgment.
In Italy, 175 municipalities, that is 70 tourist marinas/beaches, were awarded prizes, corresponding to about 10% of the locations in the world, a larger number compared to last year. In 2017, in fact, there were 342 Italian Blue Flags awarded throughout 163 municipalities, 12 less than this year. Liguria is, once again, on the highest step of the podium with 27 awarded locations; followed by Tuscany with 19 locations, Campania with 18 and Marche with 16. New Flags were awarded in Calabria, Emilia Romagna and Friuli Venezia Giulia, thus increasing the number of beaches involved. Though the FEE does not only reward the beaches: Blue Flags were also awarded to lakes, which this year have increased.
The FEE follows numerous criteria for the designation of the award: the first phase concerns testing the quality of the water from the samples taken, the second step concerns wastewater purification efficiency and the sewerage system of the municipal territory, recycling and the presence of pedestrian areas and cycling paths. It does not end here though: the FEE also evaluates the space dedicated to courses on environmental education and the quality and quantity of tourist information.