British tourists warned - avoid these 48 polluted Spanish beaches

British tourists have been cautioned about visiting almost 50 beaches in Spain, designated as ‘black flag’ sites due to various environmental issues.

The environmental advocacy group, Ecologists in Action, has released a report identifying these problematic beaches, highlighting concerns such as chemical pollution, marine debris, overdevelopment, and sewage discharge.

One such beach is Talamanca in Ibiza, which has suffered severe damage to its underwater vegetation due to illegal anchoring by boats and the discharge of salty wastewater from a treatment plant. El Amerador Beach in El Campello, near Alicante, has also been flagged due to fecal contamination from a nearby poorly-maintained pumping station. The report notes two recent instances of human waste entering the sea at this location in March and April.

British tourists are cautioned about 50 'black flag' beaches in Spain due to pollution and overdevelopment, warns Ecologists in Action's latest report. Avoid these risky spots! — *Stock Image. (Picture: Jam Press)*

The Canary Islands, which have recently seen protests against mass tourism and its impact on ocean pollution, are also heavily criticized in the report. An Ecologists in Action spokesperson pointed out the significant issue of ‘touristification’ and urbanization, particularly affecting the Canary Islands. The spokesperson accused local political leaders of prioritizing business interests in a ‘suicidal race,’ leading to record poverty and unemployment among residents. They emphasized that the ecological footprint of the Canary Islands is disproportionate, requiring a territory 27 times larger to meet the demands of its economic model.

A particularly alarming example from the report is Tenerife, where 57 million liters of wastewater are discharged into the sea daily, equivalent to 17 Olympic swimming pools of polluted water. This problem is widespread across all eight Canary Islands, with more than 90 percent of wastewater from urban, industrial, and agricultural sources reaching the sea with minimal treatment.

Playa Blanca in Lanzarote has also received a black flag due to a sewage spill in May, caused by a malfunctioning pumping station. Ecologists in Action noted that such incidents are common, often blamed on improper disposal of wet wipes and nappies.

The report assigns black flags to two beaches per province, highlighting various issues across different regions. For instance, dangerous pellets have been identified on the Costa Dorada in Tarragona, threatening marine and human life. Meanwhile, private boats have been blamed for damaging marine biodiversity on the Costa Brava.

Here is the complete list of ‘black flag’ beaches that British holidaymakers are advised to avoid:

La Farella, Girona, Catalonia
Various beaches on the Costa Brava, Girona, Catalonia
Comarca del Maresme, Barcelona, Catalonia
Sant Adrià del Besò, Barcelona, Catalonia
Camino de Ronda, Tarragona, Catalonia
Playa de la Pineda, Costa Dorada, Tarragona, Catalonia
Playa de L’Estany-Capicorb, Castellon, Valencia region
Playa de Burriana, Castellon, Valencia region
Beaches at the Parque Natural de l’Albufera, Valencia, Valencia region
Puerto de Valencia, Valencia, Valencia region
Barranco y playa del Amerador, Alacant, Valencia region
Playas de Cap l’horta, Albufera, Postiguet and San Gabriel, Alacant, Valencia region
Mar Menor, Murcia region
Portman Bay and Sierra Minera, Murcia region
Playa Quitapellejos-Palomares, Almeria, Andalucia
Playa de ‘El Lancón’ en Carboneras, Almeria, Andalucia
Playa de Castell de Ferro, Granada, Andalucia
Playa Granada y Poniente, Granada, Andalucia
Playas de Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
Coast of Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia
Costa de Trafalgar, Cadiz, Andalucia
Huelva river, Huelva, Andalucia
El Portil, Huelva, Andalucia
Aldán river, Concello de Cangas, Pontevedra, Galicia
Arousa river and Pontevedra river, Pontevedra, Galicia
Minera de Galicia, A Coruna, Galicia
Pereiro river and Ramisqueira river, A Coruna, Galicia
Alcoa pond, Lugo, Galicia
Galician coast, Lugo, Galicia
Port of Figueres, Asturies
Villaviciosa, Asturies
Playa de Usgo, Cantabria
San Román de la Llanilla, Cantabria
Lamiako marsh area, Bizkaia, Basque Country
Gernika and Murueta, Bizkaia, Basque Country
Santa Clara Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
La Concha Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
Cala Xarraca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
Playa de Talamanca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
Port of Melilla, Melilla
Melilla Bay, Melilla
Monte Hacho, Ceuta
Playa de Desnarigado, Ceuta
Playa Blanca, Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Corralejo Dunes, Las Palmas, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
La Tejita Beach (Granadilla), Puertito de Armeñime (Adeje), Tenerife, Canary Islands
Northwest coastline of Tenerife, Canary Islands