For the seventh time, the Lagoa do Peri resort in Florianopolis has received the Blue Flag, an international certificate administered in Brazil by the IAR (Instituto Ambientes em Rede).

Lagoa do Peri is the only Blue Flag beach in Florianopolis. Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota.

Last season, the stadium did not receive a flag due to the difficulties associated with the pandemic. To register the achievement, the Municipality of Florianopolis, through the Department of the Environment and Floram (Municipal Fund for the Environment of Florianopolis), held the Blue Flag Ceremony yesterday.

Santa Catarina is the state with the most blue flag beaches in Brazil. Of the 40 points mapped, 29 beaches and 11 marinas, 18 are from Santa Catarina. Mayor of Florianopolis Topazio Neto stressed that certification is very important for the municipality, as it means that all sustainability characteristics are met.

Who enters Lagoa do Peri enters the beach with a Blue Flag – Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota

“We have clean water, environmental education, affordability, and all this in a pleasant environment at the conservation center. We invite those who do not know Lagoa do Peri to visit this place and see the Blue Flag beach up close,” said Topazio.

Beatrice Kowalski, Floram’s manager, stressed that for the mayor’s office, the resumption of printing in Peri is a source of great pride, as it reflects the management’s concern for the environment.

Mayor Topacio Neto attended the flag-raising – Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota

“This beach has adequate accessibility criteria, public toilets, environmental education and especially water quality. It’s nice to get this recognition again, ”Beatrice emphasized.

Lagoa do Peri is the only beach in Florianopolis with seals, but the manager says the city wants to increase their numbers.

The ceremony also featured the installation of four environmentally themed containers on site to collect dry recyclables such as packaging and utensils made from paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic and foam.

“People who travel to Lagoa do Peri can drop off their waste, which will be sent for recycling. We are moving more and more towards Floripa Trash Zero,” said Beatrice.

Jurerê Internacional was the first

IAR Director-President Ricardo Cerruti Ohling emphasized that the Blue Flag certification is international, has a 35-year history and is carried out in 77 countries. In Brazil, Jurerê Internacional became the first beach to receive the seal in 2008.

Ricardo Cerruti Oeling is the CEO of IAR. Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota.

“We started this process here in 2005 and it’s a constant struggle. Countries like Portugal and Spain, which have a much smaller coastline compared to Brazil, have won a lot more flags because many of the criteria have a European management culture,” he explained.

However, although Brazil has a huge coastline, there are issues such as unlicensed areas or beach encroachments, factors that prevent the country from having a more expressive amount of blue flags, Oling said.

“We are looking at beaches and marinas. But as the program becomes more visible and people realize its benefits, this trend will intensify. The blue flag is beneficial not only in the sustainable part, but also in the field of tourism, the economy and changing user behavior,” emphasized Eling.

He also said that seal beaches are now visited by many more families with children because they have infrastructure, security, water quality, environmental management and promote environmental education in the municipality.

Collectors of dry recyclable waste must help Peri keep the Blue Flag seal – Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota

In order to be certified, establishments must meet 34 criteria. If any of these are not respected, the flag is flown at half-mast and the municipality has a deadline to inform the public and resolve the outstanding issue. After that, the flag is returned to its place.

According to nurse Josias Fernandez de Souza, 47, the Blue Flag is in the right place. A resident of the Carianos metropolitan area, he is a frequenter of Peri, where he was yesterday with his wife Adriana Selva, 35, stepdaughter Leticia and daughter Joana.

Letizia, Adriana and Josias for another happy day in Lagoa do Peri. Photo: Leo Munoz/North Dakota

“There are several differences here: safety, beautiful nature, good structure, park, green space and shade. Great logistics to spend the day. The water is also very good. When we can, we are here,” he stressed.