The Blue Flag Campaign is administered in Wales, on behalf of FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education), by Keep Wales Tidy. Blue Flags have been flying at beaches and marinas throughout Europe since the campaign was started in 1987. Over the years the programme has been expanded and it currently provides a comparison with coastal resorts and marinas in nearly 40 countries on several continents.
Bathing Water quality on beaches must meet the highest, recommended European guideline standards. The beach must be clean, well managed and promote sound environmental management.
Marinas operators must demonstrate that they meet strict environmental criteria. The buildings must be well maintained, there will be facilities for receiving and disposing of hazardous and recyclable waste. Electricity and water must be available at the berths.
The European Commission, the Welsh Assembly Government and participating local authorities, support the European Blue Flag Campaign.
Award beaches are awarded a flag annually and must be removed if all the criteria are not met.
There are 32 Criteria for Blue Flag beaches covering:
- Water quality
- Cleanliness
- Management
- Safety
- Information and Education
The Blue Flag can only be flown when all the criteria are met.
Keep Wales Tidy assessors check each beach during the Bathing season to ensure that standards are maintained. The Flag must be taken down when this is not the case.
Introduced in the UK in 1999, Blue Flags are awarded to marinas that meet strict environmental and management standards.
Blue Flag marinas generally have pontoons or jetties for boats and would normally provide car parking, toilet facilities, waste services and other amenities.
The criteria considered for Blue Flag Marinas include:
- high standards of cleanliness
- safety (eg life rings, fire extinguishers)
- information provision
- facilities (eg toilets)
- environmental management (waste reception facilities)
- Water quality must be clean and have no signs of sewage or oil pollution, but does not have to meet the same standards as beaches, as swimming is not permitted in marinas.
To fly a Blue Flag a marina must fulfil 16 points of criteria.
For a full list of award winning beaches and marinas for 2012 click here.