There will again be two Blue Flags that they will wave at Loano. In fact, also for 2023, the Fee (Foundation for Environmental Education) has decided to award the prestigious recognition to both to the beaches of the coast than to the Marina of Loano.
“Having been awarded the fourteenth consecutive Blue Flag," explains Loano Mayor Luca Lettieri - is for our entire city a source of great pride and yet another confirmation of the goodness of the environmental policies put in place, over all these years, by the municipal administration. Policies that have been able to count on the invaluable collaboration of all the other realities that operate in the marine sector (from the Bagni Marini Association to the pescasportivi, just to name two) but also and above all of our fellow citizens and tourists. Having a ‘Blue Flag’ sea means a healthy sea, clean beaches and high-level services. These achievements are the result of the efforts of our entire community, to whom my personal thanks go. As well as thanks to the technical office, the environment office and the other offices that collaborated for the excellent work done in preparing the documentation and applications.”.
Declares the’CEO of Marina di Loano Gianluca Mazza: “This new Blue Flag, the umpteenth in the history of Marina di Loano, confirms once again how the protection of the marine environment are at the top of the priorities of our management, our staff and all our boaters, who are always very sensitive in receiving and implementing all kinds of practices aimed at safeguarding the sea. This year, the Blue Flag returns to fly at our Marina almost simultaneously with the activation of the 1,500-square-meter photovoltaic facility being completed on the shoreline quay. The new facility will be completed around the middle of June and will enable us to produce up to 334 thousand KiloWatts per year in a completely clean way and thus reduce polluting emissions.”.
The design of the photovoltaic plant is in line with the climate strategy adopted last year by Unipol Group and providing a timely route of reducing climate-changing emissions produced by its real estate assets up to and including the’zeroing in 2050. The first reduction target of 46.2% compared to 2019 was set at 2030, using the market-based methodology in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Still on the subject of respecting and protecting the environment, in Marina of Loano the thermal production is entrusted to, already for more than 10 years, to a condensation ring which works on the principle of seawater heat exchange, a cutting-edge technology from an energy-saving perspective. Electric mobility solutions and fast charging stations for all types of electric cars are also available for guests.
The 2023 Blue Flag is in addition to the other awards testifying to excellence of the Marina and its services: the ISO 14.001 and OHSAS 18.001 certifications (with TUV Rheinland), the MaRINA Excellence 24 Plus certification, the “5 Rudders” and “50 Gold” from RINA. The International Certification Body, in fact, has officially attested to the safety and quality of the Loano facility's tourist and accommodation services.
Environmental councillor Remo Zaccaria and tourism councillor Enrica Rocca they chiosano: “Keeping our beaches and sea clean and as pristine as possible is not only a duty to our planet and future generations, but also a way to protect what, to date, is the main economic resource of our city. Small but important initiatives such as the ban on smoking on the beach during the summer season or the garbage collection days on the shoreline carried out by Pro Loco Loano together with the Falcone students or the awareness campaigns organized in schools (also as part of the Green Flag-Eco Schools project) help to achieve these results and make sure that they can be achieved in the future as well. And fundamental are also the commitment and constant support that comes from the management, staff and boaters of Marina di Loano, which for years has been hosting a very important entity such as the CIMA Foundation (which studies, develops technologies and trains in the field of hazard mitigation, civil protection and ecosystem protection) and is a very valuable partner of the administration and the Coast Guard on the occasion of the Day of the Sea.”.
The Blue Flag was established in 1987, the European Year for the Environment. It is assigned Every year in 48 countries around the world To realities that comply with criteria related to sustainable land management. The campaign is overseen in the various countries by Fee, Foundation for Environmental Education.
The parameters based on which the Blue Flag is awarded. for the beaches are many: bathing water quality, sewage treatment, environmental certification, waste management, accessibility at beaches, environmental education and communication, and sustainability initiatives.
For with regard to the tourist landings, however, the criteria are as follows: the waters of the harbor and those facing the harbor must not be visually polluted; sewage must not spill into the harbor; the facility must be equipped to collect oil, paint, and chemical residues as well as life preservers and first-aid equipment; management must provide environmental and Blue Flag campaign-related information; provision is made for disposal of boat bilge and toilet waters; arrangements are made for disposal of shipyard processing residues; and the docks provide lights and potable water.
