FLORENCE, ITALY – The number of Italian beaches to be given the prestigious Blue Flag award for clean water and pristine sands has increased again this year, the international Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) said on Tuesday May 13.
In 2014 Italy can boast some 269 Blue Flag beaches in a total of 140 municipalities nationwide, compared to the 248 beaches in 135 municipalities recorded last year. Liguria in northwest Italy retained its title as the region with the cleanest beaches (20, the same as last year), followed by Tuscany with 18 (one more than in 2013) and the central Marche region with 17 (one less than in 2013).
The Tuscan blue flag beaches in 2014 are: Carrara-Marina di Carrara centro (Massa-Carrara); Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore, Viareggio (Lucca); Pisa-Marina di Pisa, Calambrone, Tirrenia (Pisa); Livorno-Antignano, Quercianella, Rosignano Marittimo-Castiglioncello, Vada, Cecina-Marina, Le Gorette, Bibbona-Marina, Castagneto Carducci, San Vincenzo, Piombino-Parco naturale della Sterpaia, Marciana Marina-La Fenicia (Livorno); Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto-Marina di Grosseto, Principina a mare, Monte Argentario (Grosseto).
Blue Flag looks at sustainable development employing strict criteria on water quality, environmental education and management, safety and services. Blue Flag has worked with the United Nations’ Environment Programme and analysed beaches and marinas worldwide since 1987 to monitor quality and cleanliness.