People enjoying the warmth at a beach in Espoo. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva
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Most bathing waters in Finland have been rated excellent or good, according to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) report covering the 2021–2024 seasons.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) classified 93 percent of bathing sites in these top two categories, one percentage point lower than in the previous review. Inland beaches received higher ratings than coastal ones.
All three beaches assessed as having poor water quality were located on the coast. Twelve others were rated as sufficient, the lowest acceptable category. Four new bathing areas were not assessed due to insufficient monitoring data.
The EEA’s report evaluated nearly 22,000 beaches across Europe, with rankings based on bacterial presence linked to wastewater pollution. The system does not account for blue-green algae levels, which are monitored separately.
In overall European rankings, Finland placed 12th. The report noted that 85.5 percent of Finnish beaches qualified as excellent. Cyprus and Bulgaria led the continent with the highest shares of excellent-rated beaches.
The report includes detailed country-level summaries and aims to guide public awareness and regulatory planning across the EU.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
