The sick beaches of Asia

by Tom Butler
BBC News Online

South East Asia's beaches are one of its biggest tourist draws, offering visitors the chance to experience a tropical paradise.

Beautiful beaches are among South East Asia's main attractions

But according to a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), some of the region's beaches are also so contaminated by bacteria from sewage that they are a serious health risk.

"Across the region, there are beaches which can be thoroughly disgusting, mixed in with pristine and safe sites," said Dr Jamie Bartram, who led the WHO team which published the report.

The WHO has refused to name and shame individual countries, and governments are extremely sensitive to any criticism that could hurt their tourism industry.

But Dr Bartram said that any area where cities or towns pump waste into the sea posed potential problems.

The diseases which can result from exposure to sewage are at best unpleasant and at worst, in some rare cases, fatal.

"There is a clear link between sewage pollution of water and gastro-intestinal diseases like diarrhoea and gastro-enteritis," Dr Bartram said.

Diseases caused by sewage Gastro-enteritis Diarrhoea Enteric fever Hepatitis Kidney infection

"And we have also learnt that people exposed to sewage can catch respiratory diseases."

Contamination

Beach pollution is usually a result of poor infrastructure - either sewage pipes do not run far enough out to sea, or the waste is not properly treated.

But the WHO is keen to point out that the costly overhaul of sewage systems is not the only way of preventing contamination.

Beach pollution does not occur all the time. Statistics show that it is much higher after heavy rainfall, because rivers and sewage tanks overflow.

Health campaigners therefore advise people not to swim in the sea after periods of rainfall.

There is still a lot of sewage being discharged into the sea, and not more than 20 per cent has been treated. This creates high pollution Dr Chua Thia-eng PEMSEA

They also encourage governments to advise people about the health consequences of pollution in the sea, and to offer a grading system for beaches.

That way, tourists would have improved knowledge about water quality and the poorer beaches would be forced to clean up their act.

Hope

But at the moment, few countries in the region follow that advice.

Dr Chua Thia-eng, from the Philippines-based Partnership in Environment Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), said water quality in the region was not improving.

"There is still a lot of sewage being discharged into the sea, and not more than 20% has been treated. This creates high pollution," he said.

Hong Kong assesses beach pollution levels every week

But there are reasons for optimism.

Dr Chua pointed to Hong Kong as leading the way in terms of the WHO's suggestions for better monitoring.

The territory grades its beaches between one and four every week, and advises swimmers when not to go into the water.

Beaches are closed when pollution reaches dangerous levels.

The grading system was introduced 17 years ago, and has forced those who run the beaches at the lower end of the scale to improve.

Herman Kong of Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department said: "The number of 'Good' water quality beaches has increased from nine in 1986, to 23 in 2002. 'Good' water quality means the swimming-associated illness rate is undetectable."

WHO recommendations Improve infrastructure Improve sewage treatment Set international standards Grade beaches Don't swim after rain

Hong Kong is continually revising its policy on beach safety in accordance with international guidelines.

But Mr Kong said the territory would welcome the opportunity to share its experience with the rest of the world.

Expansion

That experience could prove useful to other countries in the region whose record on beach hygiene is poorer.

The WHO report is offering them international standards on acceptable levels of bacteria.

These have been drawn up as the problem of sewage disposal becomes increasingly acute because of ever-expanding cities and towns.

If guidelines are ignored, economic health could also be affected.

Tourism is still a growth industry in South East Asia. But with more information available about the potential hazards of dirty beaches - and about how to clean them up - fear of illness could cause visitors to stay away from the worst offenders.