THE BLUE FLAG       

The European Community determines the microbiologic parameters which modify essential sea water quality for being used the aim of  swimming in  lake or sea water ,  with the aim of guidance and obligatory sentences, which they are peremptory rules, in order to  make bathing in their own countries.

These studies were combined by the Foundation of Europe  Environment Education ( FEEE) in 1987 under the name of  Flag Campaign, and they were implemented successively ,firstly in country of AT ,then 22 countries. the comprehension of the campaign was broaden because of the demands of other countries in 2001 , and the name of Foundation of Europe  Environment Education was changed as Foundation of Environment Education.

  The Blue Flag Campaign major in four subjects. These are :

  1)The quality of the water in terms of swimming

  2)The management  of environmental education and being informed studies

  3)The order of beach and its security

  4)Management of environment

These four main subjects are distributed according to the 27 criterias which are determined by the Foundation of Environment Education. The beaches that are appropriate to these criterias are being recompensed by giving the blue flag for a year.Also,these beaches are announced to the whole world on the internet by the International Foundation of Environment Education..

After the Finland, which  is the apart from a country from European Community,  was accepted to the Europe Environment Education Foundation for the first time in 1991 , the studies about blue flag campaign has started in our country.

From March 1992, the gauge of microbiological and chemical studies have been done 300 determined points , as appropriately to the European Standards,  from Çanakkale to Hatay coastal strip in each 15 days.Now, the studies of sea and lake water are being done as totally 380 points, which  the Blacksea coasts, Eğirdir and Hazer lake are also included

The blue flag Project , in our country, has been driven by  the Turkey Environment Education Foundation , which was founded in 1993, by the Ministry of Health pionerring.