1. Beach Awards - helping make beaches cleaner, safer and more enjoyable Thursday 7 October 2010

2. Keep Scotland Beautiful The eight programmes administered by KSB are: - Blue Flag & Seaside Award - Climate Challenge Fund - Eco-Schools - Going Carbon Neutral Stirling - People & Places - Sustainable Scotland Network - Keep Scotland Tidy - Waste Aware Scotland

3. Beach Award aims To improve the quality of local beach environments in Scotland To prevent and reduce waste To improve safety To support environmental education at the beach

4. History of Seaside Award Seaside Award introduced in 1993 Two categories – Resort & Rural

5. History of Blue Flag in Scotland Blue Flag introduced in Scotland 1995

6. Why are award beaches important?

7. Independent accreditation Improved management, protecting environment and enhancing user experience Enhancement of the economic value of the coastline Benefits of award status

8. Losing award status because of criterion breaches Securing the finances every year to achieve standards Raising public perception to an unsustainable level Risks of award status

9. Award versus non award Award beaches scored consistently higher than non award beaches. Average award beach score was 74% Average non award beach score was 42% Award status equals higher standards of beach management and a better visitor experience

10. Bathing waters & beach awards – current position Blue Flag beaches must achieve Guideline water quality Seaside Award must achieve Mandatory water quality Award criteria specify information should be displayed at the beach

11. Bathing waters & beach awards – current position

12. Bathing waters & Blue Flag – future From 2012 there will be one worldwide Blue Flag water quality standard A minimum of five samples (no more than 28 days between) Excellent water quality will be required (E.Coli 250cfu/100ml)(I.E. 100cfu/100ml) Bathing water ‘single sample’ results will need to be posted at beach no later than one month after sampling date.

13. Bathing waters & Seaside Award – future Seaside Award in Scotland will align itself with the revised Directive. It is likely that applicants will need to achieve the Sufficient standard, or have accurate real time information signs. Classification details and profiles will need to be posted at the beach, in line with legislative requirements of the Directive.

14. Thank you! beach@ksbscotland.org.uk www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/coastal