No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeEnvironment5 Pacific coast beaches declared Costa Rica’s cleanest

5 Pacific coast beaches declared Costa Rica’s cleanest

Five Pacific beaches were declared the cleanest in the country during this year’s Ecological Blue Flag (BAE) ceremony, held on Monday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in San José.

Three beaches – Playa Blanca in Puntarenas and Matapalo and Punta El Madero in Guanacaste – obtained the maximum of five stars in the certification program sponsored by the Water and Sewer Institute’s (AyA) National Water Laboratory.

Junquillal in Guanacaste and Manuel Antonio in Puntarenas received three stars during the event, which was hosted by Vice President Alfio Piva, Environment Minister René Castro, AyA President Yessenia Calderón and BAE program coordinator Darner Mora.

A total of 122 beaches submitted applications for the Blue Flag program, of which 107 received at least one star.

The BAE is a voluntary program that annually awards compliance with a series of requirements including water quality, safety conditions, general services and environmental protection.

Blue Flags are awarded in 10 categories: beaches, communities, schools, natural protected areas, watersheds, climate change, climate neutral community, community health, sustainable homes and special events. Awards in the other categories will be presented in coming weeks.

A total of 2,959 communities, organizations and companies submitted bids for the 2013 awards, as reported by the organizing committee.

AyA launched the BAE program in 1996, following Spain, which established the program in that country in 1986, awarding the first Blue Flag in 1987. Since then, more than 30 countries have adopted the Blue Flag program, including Panama, Guatemala and Perú.

Learn more about the Blue Flag program (in Spanish) here: www.banderaazulecologica.org

Trending Now

Honduras agrees to receive migrants under new US deportation agreement

The US has signed a new deportation agreement with Honduras, allowing officials to send migrants from other countries there instead of keeping them in...

Costa Rica Marks National Parks Day with Free Entry This Sunday

As everyone knows by now, our country stands out for its strong focus on protecting the environment. It leads in conservation efforts, manages its...

President Chaves Downplays Costa Rica’s Security Crisis Amid Record Homicides

President Rodrigo Chaves brushed off concerns about Costa Rica's surging violence during his Wednesday press conference, insisting the security situation "is not as serious"...

Costa Rica’s Role in US Deportation Drama with Salvadoran Migrant

A Salvadoran man at the center of a heated US immigration battle could end up in Costa Rica if he accepts a guilty plea,...

Costa Rica National Parks to Measure Tourism Impact

Costa Rica will now be able to measure the impact of tourism in its national parks, thanks to innovative environmental technology from The NeverRest...

Costa Rica Anglers Catch Rare Orange and Albino Nurse Shark

Anglers on a fishing trip off Costa Rica's Caribbean coast caught a nurse shark unlike any seen before: bright orange skin and stark white...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica