Brazil’s cleanest beaches

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – According to a survey done by the Ministry of Regional Development (MDR), about 50% of Brazilians still do not have adequate access to sewage systems. The fact concerning 2020 reinforces the idea that many Brazilian beaches suffer because of their low levels of bathing, which measures the quality of the water and whether it is suitable for bathing or not.

Because of the lack of monitoring at the national level – only CETESB (Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo) has a map, albeit a poor one, of information about the coast of São Paulo. On the other hand, the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo has an annual survey that monitors this information.

The study shows that since 2016 Brazil has not advanced in terms of cleaning its beaches, and this reflects directly on the previous data that the country’s sewage system also suffers abandonment. Thus, the Northeast of the country and the coast of the state of São Paulo were the only regions that showed improvements in terms of water quality.

However, in 2021, Brazil increased the number of beaches certified with the Blue Flag international seal. Aspects related to environmental management, water quality, environmental education, safety and services, ecotourism, and social responsibility in the region are analyzed and verified by the Ministry of Tourism to receive this certification.

Currently, Brazil has 22 certified beaches:

• Patacho Beach, Porto de Pedras, Alagoas
• Prainha, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
• Sereia Beach, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo
• Ponta de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe Beach, Salvador, Bahia
• Piçarras Beach, Balneário Piçarras, Santa Catarina
• Tombo Beach, Guarujá, São Paulo
• Sossego Beach, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro
• Guarajuba Beach, Camaçari, Bahia
• Itacimirim Beach, Camaçari, Bahia
• Reserva Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
• Peró Beach, Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro
• Praia Grande, Governador Celso Ramos, Santa Catarina
• Estaleiro Beach, Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina
• Estaleirinho Beach, Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina
• Mariscal Beach, Bombinhas, Santa Catarina
• Conceição Beach, Bombinhas, Santa Catarina
• Prainha, São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina
• Forte Beach, São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina
• Praia Grande, Penha, Santa Catarina
• Bacia da Vovó Beach, Penha, Santa Catarina
• Saudade Beach, Penha, Santa Catarina