Sirmione Awarded European Blue Flag for Environmental Quality and Tourism
There’s only the embarrassment of choice. Whether singing “La più bella sei tu” or “Nel blu, dipinto di blu.” Since yesterday, Sirmione has become the Italian lake district location, alongside Verbania, on Lake Maggiore in Piedmont, that has earned the prestigious European Blue Flag of 2000, awarded after a very strict continental-level selection by the Feee (Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe), an organization that assesses the overall quality of the tourist offer.
The recognition and awarding criteria
Only seaside beaches have performed better than them. A prestigious and extraordinary recognition that rewards those Municipalities with top-tier requirements in bathing waters, wastewater purification, separate waste collection, urban furniture, pedestrian areas, and environmental initiatives: all criteria that underpin the strict selection process and guarantee the flying of the splendid European Blue Flag.
Yesterday morning, at the award ceremony held in Rome at Piazza Venezia, was attended by Mayor Maurizio Ferrari, who, of course, was proud of this prize that propels the Scaligera peninsula into the top tier of environmental quality and preservation.
Environmental initiatives and interventions
It is undeniable that the municipal administration — it’s worth noting that the long process of environmental safeguarding started with the previous Arduino administration — is working to improve environmental quality. Here are a couple of examples.
The introduction of electric vehicles in the historic center, the creation of pedestrian islands, the establishment of the Environmental Monitoring Center, directed by the very active Eugenio Zilioli from CNR. Projects for stream and shoreline remediation, participation in European project proposals.
Furthermore, cultural initiatives always linked to the environment, such as the four interesting guides published by CRA, or waste collection projects for purposes related to environmental education (reports from Sirmione middle schools connected with local and community projects) and beach water quality, which consistently rank Sirmione’s six beaches at the top of the Lake Garda standings.
Positioning and controls
In the overall evaluation of these parameters, Sirmione earned the European Blue Flag, ranking 17th out of 74 Municipalities and 41 tourist ports in the Italian overall list. Sirmione is only preceded by seaside beaches. A good result, no doubt.
The awarding of the Blue Flag was carried out by a dedicated technical committee, which included experts from the European Foundation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, the Ministry of the Environment, and other organizations. Of the 144 Municipalities that joined the initiative, 66 received recognition for their entire territory (including Sirmione), and 8 were awarded for some beaches.
Beach conditions and control criteria
Overall, aside from Sirmione (the only one in Lombardy and Northern Italy, apart from Verbania in Piedmont) making the Italian locations ranking, the state of beaches in Northeast Italy and Emilia Romagna was good (6 in total), while Liguria had 13 beaches, Tuscany 9, and Marche 10.
The Feee analyzed hundreds of sheets and results from unannounced inspections, following these criteria: absolute validity of bathing waters according to rules that are much more restrictive than those required by the bathing ordinance, perfect wastewater purification and efficient sewage network, separate waste collection, pedestrian areas, bike paths, green spaces, strict prohibition of motor vehicles access to beaches, so well-maintained urban furniture, well-preserved beach facilities with full services, ample space for environmental education courses, and finally, hotel facilities, public utility services, and updated signage.