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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UK beach hygiene hailed in report | UK beach hygiene hailed in report |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| British beaches are among the cleanest in Europe for the quality of their bathing water, according to a report. | British beaches are among the cleanest in Europe for the quality of their bathing water, according to a report. |
| The study found just two of the UK's 567 coastal bathing areas - Aberafan, south Wales, and Staithes, Scarborough - failed to meet EU standards. | The study found just two of the UK's 567 coastal bathing areas - Aberafan, south Wales, and Staithes, Scarborough - failed to meet EU standards. |
| Hampstead Heath "ladies' pond" was the only one of the 11 British freshwater sites not to make the grade. | Hampstead Heath "ladies' pond" was the only one of the 11 British freshwater sites not to make the grade. |
| The European Commission requires EU member nations to report on beach water quality every year. | The European Commission requires EU member nations to report on beach water quality every year. |
| Lakes and rivers | Lakes and rivers |
| Reijo Kemppinen, head of the European Commission office in London, said: "Coming just before the bathing season begins the report provides useful water quality information for UK bathers, as well as for the many tourists who visit Britain's beaches every summer." | Reijo Kemppinen, head of the European Commission office in London, said: "Coming just before the bathing season begins the report provides useful water quality information for UK bathers, as well as for the many tourists who visit Britain's beaches every summer." |
| The report found more than 96% of coastal areas across the EU met the standards, and there was a figure of nearly 89% for freshwater areas such as lakes and rivers. | The report found more than 96% of coastal areas across the EU met the standards, and there was a figure of nearly 89% for freshwater areas such as lakes and rivers. |
| All six places covered in Gibraltar were up to scratch. | All six places covered in Gibraltar were up to scratch. |
| Some 14,345 coastal and 6,749 freshwater locations were monitored for the study for 2006, which can be found on the European Commission website. | |
| Sites withdrawn | Sites withdrawn |
| The report is the first time information for bathing water hygiene has been compared for 25 EU member states. | |
| Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said he was concerned that countries had removed some beaches from the list to be monitored. | Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said he was concerned that countries had removed some beaches from the list to be monitored. |
| "Despite these encouraging results I am very concerned by the number of bathing sites withdrawn from the list. Removing sites from the list because they are polluted is not a solution," he said. | "Despite these encouraging results I am very concerned by the number of bathing sites withdrawn from the list. Removing sites from the list because they are polluted is not a solution," he said. |
| "Member states must instead draw up plans for cleaning up these polluted sites". | "Member states must instead draw up plans for cleaning up these polluted sites". |