UK tourists are being warned about the state of almost 50 beaches in Spain.
A whole host of Spanish coastal sites, from Alicante to Barcelona have been hit with a substandard "Black Flag" rating due to chemical spills, sanitation problems and pollution.
Other affected areas include the Basque Country, the Canary Islands, Malaga and Valencia.
Of the 48 beaches named, 12 were due to "discharges, deficiencies in sanitation systems and serious purification problems", with a further six caused by "chemical, light and/or acoustic pollution".
Invasive urban development along Spain’s coast, harmful chemical spills and filthy dog beaches: just three of the problems highlighted by environmentalists @Ecologistas en Acción, who this week published their notorious Black Flags Report 2023 https://t.co/tonwJdejsu
— Spanish News Today (@MurciaToday) June 14, 2023
Spanish environmental campaign group Ecologists in Action has hit out at local authorities for not protecting the coastal locations from "ecological attacks".
You can find the full list of the beaches here.
How do chemical spills affect humans and the environment?
Chemical pollution damages the local fishing and tourism sectors because of its harmful effects on human health and the environment.
Leaks and spills can pollute groundwater and surface water. This can be harmful to waterways and plants and animals that depend on them.
Groundwater and surface water pollution can also impact people's health. For example, if hazardous liquids end up in our food or drinking water.
Corrosive chemicals can cause severe burns when touched, damage eyesight, and cause harm to the respiratory tract.
Spain travel warning as smoking ban introduced at 28 tourist hotspots including beaches across Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca
— mRoshe (@mroshe13) April 13, 2023
The warning to UK travellers comes not long after a "smoking ban" was also introduced in Spain.
Tourists were warned that smoking has now been banned on 28 Spanish beaches in a tourist crackdown.
There has been a huge increase in "smoke-free zones" as part of a major plan by the Balearic Islands to improve people's health and slash the problem of cigarette butts being left on the sand.
There are no fines for those who are caught lighting up as the people behind the scheme are hoping to appeal to members of the public's sense of responsibility.
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