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WATER QUALITY
- Compliance with requirements and standards
such as those of the EU Bathing Water Directive
- No industrial or sewage related discharges
may affect the beach area
- Local and/or regional emergency plans to
cope with pollution accidents
- No algal or other vegetation may accumulate
and be left to decay on the beach, except in areas designated
for a specific use and as long as this does not constitute
a nuisance
- The community must be in compliance with
requirements for sewage treatment and effluent quality such
as are contained in the EU Urban Waste Water Directive (
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND INFORMATION
- Prompt public warning if the beach or part
thereof is expected to or has become grossly polluted or
otherwise unsafe. Procedures for issuing public warnings
in such cases must be covered by the emergency plan
- Information on natural sensitive areas
in the coastal zone, including its flora and fauna must
be publicly displayed and included in tourist information.
The information must include advice on how to behave in
such areas
- The beach operator undertakes:
- to publicly display on the beach updated information about
bathing water quality in the form of a table or figure that
can be easily understood.
- to display as close to the Blue Flag as possible information
about the Blue Flag, including the aspects covered by the
Blue Flag and who is responsible at local and national level.
- to remove the Blue Flag if an imperative criteria is no
longer fulfilled
- The local community and the beach operator
should together be able to demonstrate that at least five
environmental education activities are offered
- Laws governing beach use must be easily
available to the public upon request, for example in tourist
offices, the town hall or on the beach. Code of conduct
for the beach area must be posted on the beach
- The local community has an Environmental
Interpretation Centre or similar permanent public environmental
education place dealing with the coastal environment. Such
a centre may be a denoted a Blue Flag Centre if it as a
place to obtain information about the Blue Flag and as a
focal point for public environmental education activities
about the coast and sea
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
- The local community must have a land-use
and development plan for its coastal zone. This plan and
the current activities of the community in the coastal zone
must be in compliance with planning regulations and coastal
zone protection regulations. If the community is very small
it may be part of a larger regional plan
- Litter bins in adequate numbers, properly
secured and regularly maintained and emptied. Adequate provision
for refuse, algal matter and other pollutants collected
at the beach. The waste collected at the beach must be disposed
of in a licensed facility
- A daily beach clean during the bathing
season when necessary
- On the beach there will be no:
- driving unless specifically authorised
- beach bike or car races
- dumping
- unauthorised camping
Beaches on which cars are allowed must have designated areas
on the beach for parking, car-free zones and the waters
edge must always be kept entirely free from cars
- There must be safe access to the beach
- There must be management of different users
and uses of the beach so as to prevent conflicts and accidents.
If there are natural areas bordering the beach, steps must
have been taken to prevent negative impacts from the use
of and traffic to and from the beach and its waters
- The beach has facilities for receiving
recyclable waste materials, such as glass bottles and cans
- The local community is promoting sustainable
means of transportation in the beach area, such as bicycling,
walking and public transportation
- Adequate and clean sanitary facilities
with controlled sewage disposal conforming with the requirements
of the criteria concerning EU Urban Waste Water Directive
SAFETY AND SERVICES
- Beach guards are on duty during the bathing
season and/or there is adequate safety provisions, including
lifesaving equipment and directions for their use and immediate
access to a telephone. The lifesaving equipment must be
of a type that is approved by national lifesaving/-guarding
bodies. It must include instructions for use, must be permanently
and immediately accessible on the beach and be regularly
checked for proper functioning. Similarly, beach guards
must be trained and accredited according to national requirements
established by authorities or professional associations
- First aid must be available on the beach
and its location easily identified
- National laws concerning dogs, horses,
and other domestic animals must be strictly enforced on
the beach. Their access and activities must under all circumstances
be controlled
- A shielded source of drinking water
- Easy and ready access to a telephone in
cases where the beachis not safeguarded by beach guards,
the criteria is imperative
- At least one of the municipality's beaches
must be equipped with access ramps to the beach and toilet
facilities for people with disabilities, except where the
topography does not allow for it. In cases where the municipality
has only one beach awarded with the Blue Flag, this beach
must have access and facilities for the disabled, except
where the topography does not allow for it
- All buildings and equipment of the beach
must be properly maintained
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