Smoke-free beaches for Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Q.R. – A new proposal has been set into motion that may see smoke-free beaches in Playa del Carmen.

On September 15, Horacio Jesus Coral Aguilar, director of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat), confirmed the proposal and explained that the program is being implemented in coordination with the Municipal Health Department in an attempt to prohibit smoking in certain public areas.

The areas specified in the proposal begin at Punta Esmeralda and, if approved, would include all the public beaches in Solidarity. He says that the proposal is not only about taking the city’s image into consideration, but also the health of both tourists, locals and the ecosystem.

Aguilar Coral said, “The idea is to define an area with signs where people cannot smoke. Those caught smoking in the designatied non-smoking areas will be removed from the beach. This is the first time something like this would be implemented in the town.”

Once approved, it will be up to the Municipal Health Department to provide informational signs about the non-smoking beach areas. There will also be signs with regulated punishments for those who violate the smoke-free beach areas.

Aguilar Coral also said that about a year ago during a beach cleaning at Punta Esmeralda, he collected more than 10 kilos of cigarette butts. Part of the initiative to generate smoke-free beaches has also come from the International Coastal Clean-up, who noted that last year, they collected more than 20,000 cigarette butts and added that one cigarette butt can pollute up to 50 liters of water. .