For the 11th time in a row, the beaches of Loano will fly the Blue Flag, the international recognition that Fee bestows on coastal resorts that meet certain criteria from the standpoint of water quality and services offered.
The Blue Flag was established in 1987, the European Year for the Environment. It is awarded annually in 48 countries around the world that meet criteria related to sustainable land management. The campaign is overseen in the various countries by the Fee, Foundation for Environmental Education. The parameters on the basis of which the Blue Flag is awarded are many: bathing water quality, wastewater purification, environmental certification, waste management, accessibility at beaches, environmental education and communication, and sustainability initiatives.
Today Mayor Luigi Pignocca received the official announcement: the Loano coastline has been awarded its eleventh consecutive Blue Flag. “Italian bathing establishments are going through a period of great uncertainty,” says Loano's first citizen. "The health emergency due to Covid-19, in fact, has slowed down the usual preparations for the season.With only a few weeks to go before the start of summer, it is still not clear how we will all be able to enjoy the sea and beaches. In spite of this, the managers of the establishments have not lost heart: regardless of what the arrangements for opening the beaches will be, the beach friends are working hard to make themselves more than ready to welcome residents and vacationers with their usual hospitality.".
“To have been awarded the Blue Flag again this year is a source of pride for all of us. It is confirmation of the goodness of the environmental policies launched by the municipal administration over the years and, above all, confirmation of the fact that those who come to Loano will find clean marine waters and establishments with excellent services despite all the difficulties caused by the pandemic. I want to thank the technical department and the environment office for the excellent work done in preparing the documentation and applications.’.
But the reasons for celebration don't end there: Marina di Loano also achieved Fee recognition for tourist landings. This is the eighth time this has happened.
The Blue Flag for marinas is awarded based on several criteria: the waters of the harbor and those bordering the harbor must be visually unpolluted; sewers do not spill into the harbor; there are facilities for collecting oil, paint and chemical residues; life preservers and first-aid equipment are provided; environmental and Blue Flag campaign information provided by management is available; there is provision for disposal of bilge water and boat toilets; arrangements for disposal of shipyard processing residues are contemplated; lights and potable water are available on the docks.
“Over the years Marina di Loano has won numerous awards,‘ Pignocca recalls, ’It has received the MaRINA Excellence 24 Plus certification from Rina, the ’5 Rudders’ and ‘50 Gold’ for the quality of its infrastructure and services to boaters. In the environmental field, she was the first in Italy to receive RINA's ”Green' certification for environmental sustainability. The eighth Blue Flag for landings confirms, once again, the absolute value of our marina resort not only from the point of view of boating, but also and above all in terms of its commitment to the protection and preservation of the marine environment.".
