Rabat – A new official report has raised concerns over the level of pollution on beaches across Morocco, indicating that some of the country’s beaches are “non-compliant” for swimming in 2022.
Out of 379 monitoring stations on 168 beaches, 51 yielded test results confirming that the water and sand qualities are sub-standard, according to an official report Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali quoted during a press conference on Friday.
Benali said that the declining water and sand quality is mainly due to discharges of wastewater or the high concentration of swimmers in some specific areas. In addition, the lack of proper infrastructure for hygiene and climate change are also contributing to the trend.
She further added that up to 80% of the pollution is resulting from onshore causes
Of the total samples, 88% of the waste found in water is made of plastic waste. The second highly concentrated substance was cigarette butts, followed by plastic sheeting, and candy sticks, making up roughly 55% of the pollutants.
According to Benali, the annual report by her ministry also contains data on the quality of beaches covering water and sand in the country.
But the report highlights Morocco’s efforts to align its beaches with international standards, she added, noting that Moroccan beaches recently claimed numerous annual awards from the international competition for the cleanest beaches called “Blue Flags.”
Despite the alarming report, the minister stressed that these pollutants do not pose any health hazards to tourists.
In 2022, 28 Moroccan beaches were awarded the “Blue Flag” label from Morocco’s Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and the International Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
To qualify for the “Blue Flag,” beaches must adhere to a series of environmental, educational, and safety criteria among others.
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