Almost 50 Spanish beaches punished for high pollution or overcrowding the coastline

Ecologists in Action (Ecologistas en Accion) have presented the report on The Black Flag beaches for 2022. The report covers around 8,000 kilometres of Spanish coastland. 48 beaches have been given a Black Beach Award this year.

Interestingly for the first time in history, a Black Flag has been awarded to the impact of sunscreens used in sun protection creams, which are a major pollutant.

Sunscreens can contain substances such as endocrine disruptors, among others, which not only affect the health of human beings but also that of seas, rivers and lakes.

Ana Aldarias, the spokesperson for Ecologists in Action, said: “We welcome and are pleased with these improvements, but we must emphasise that these are actions that fall within the duties, competencies and obligations of the administrations and that there is still much to be done”.

Cristóbal López Pazo, also a spokesman for the environmental organisation, added: “The Black Flags 2022 report is a tool to highlight flagrant cases of pollution and environmental mismanagement of our coasts.”

“All administrations must become aware of these problems and act immediately to improve the health of our ecosystems, our economies and the people themselves”.

Here is the list of the beaches given the Black Beach Award:  

Andalusia

Playa de La Antilla, Huelva for waste poor management
Ría de Huelva for contamination
El Palmar, Cádiz for contamination
Playa Mangueta, Cádiz for the illegal extraction of water
Barbate, Cádiz for contamination
The beaches of Málaga for poor waste management
Paraje Natural Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo for contamination
Playa de La Charca-Salomar, Granada for poor waste management.
Playa de La Rábita, Granada for contamination.
Costa de Levante, Almería for poor waste management
Cuevas de Almanzora, Almería for contamination

Asturias

Regasificadora de Xixón for poor waste management
Ria de Avilés for contamination

Balearic Islands

Alcúdia Port for poor waste management
Porto Colom for contamination

Basque Country

The River Nervión around the Guggenheim for poor waste management
The River Barbadun for contamination
Puerto de Mutriku for poor waste management
Monte Antondegi for contamination

Canary Islands

Playa del Charco de la Araña in Tenerife for poor waste management and contamination
Playa del Waikiki (La Goleta) in Fuertevenura for poor waste management
Municipal beaches of Yaiza in Lanzarote for contamination

Cantabria

The Cantabrian coast near caravan parks for poor waste management
Bajo Asón for contamination

Catalonia

Platja del Trabucador, Tarragona for poor waste management
Municipal beaches of Tarragona for contamination.
Beaches next to Barcelona airport for poor waste management
Barcelona port for contamination
Pineda d’en Gori, Girona for poor waste management
The small inlets in the Costa Brava for contamination only when there are boat parties known as abarlofarra

Galicia

Municipal beaches of Vigo for poor waste management
Estuario de la Foz for contamination 
Ría de O Burgo for the dredging of sediments
Minas de San Finx for contamination 
Illa Pancha for poor waste management
Playa de Arealonga for contamination

Murcia

Mar Menor for poor waste management and contamination
Bahía de Portmán and Sierra Minera for contamination

Valencia

Beaches in the municipality of Calp for poor waste management
Cala Lanuza and Cala Baeza for contamination
Dunes at Playa de Tavernes de la Valldigna for overuse by tourists and festivals
Playa del Triador for poor waste management
Playa de Les Fonts for contamination