Barcelona City Council to extend deadline Smoking ban on all beaches from July, after pilot testing at its four beaches last year. Smoking not only poses a serious threat to health, but also major source of marine pollutionwith its effects on the ecosystem and different species.
This was announced at a press conference by Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition Councilor Eloi Badia and Health Councilor Gemma Tarafa; Joan Ramon Riera, councilor and president of the Municipal Institute for the Disabled, and David Escudé, Sports councilor.
The average bathing season has already begun and will last until mid-September. Hundreds of thousands of people will spend all this time on the beaches of the Catalan capital.
The new measure will be implemented in two phases: The first is from this month to June, when an information campaign will be carried out to announce the ban, and the second is from July, when it will come into effect.
During this time, the public domain regulation will be adapted to enable the measure to be implemented and, when effective, the Platges Directorate and the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) will monitor it to optimize implementation.
5 billion butts are dumped into the sea every year
Reminding the party of the impact on the environment and health of the five billion butts spilled into the sea each year, he stressed that Barcelona is a “pioneer” in promoting this measure. other Spanish beaches have brought the same experience to life in recent years. He also reminded that the central government is working on regulations that will ban smoking on beaches by 2023.
Supervising citizens’ compliance with the law, civilian agents capable of sanctioning and Guardia Urbana will be deployed, With fines comparable to those imposed in other urban areas where smoking is prohibited, such as playgrounds.
As Badia points out, fines will be around 30 eurosalthough he said he hoped not to have to impose sanctions, and the pilot remembered that during testing it was not necessary.
more sand
On the other hand, Badia claimed that the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Struggle has a commitment to provide sand to the beaches of Barcelona by 2024 and that the specifications are already being prepared.
The average swimming season on the city’s beaches depends on: storm Cèlia, which lost enough sand to require beaches to regrow With sand from the dredging of the mouth of the Olympic Harbor.
Escudé explained that, among other things, they are working on the management and regulation of the use of sports on beaches that will allow surfers to swim in cases of pre-alert and alert due to rough seas, and that the new regulation will mean: punishing them for it.
On the other hand, this year assisted bathroom service It will equate with the rest of the bathroom campaign services, such as first aid and rescue, in addition to incorporating some elements to improve service, such as a new inclusive changing table.
In bath season Beach for dogs will be guarded on Llevant beach. Regarding beach bars, Badia said 9 of the 21 available bars will be active after Easter, but the number will increase for the summer.