Ireland in new beach closures threat

More Irish beaches could be closed due to a rise in sea pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that the level of bacteria in several places may cause beach closures and lead to many locations to lose their blue flag status, the Irish Independent reports.

A summer of very wet weather has been blamed, with this washing more bacteria from farm waste and septic tanks into the wider environment and rivers carrying it down to the sea.

Safety gloves may be among the items needed by anyone potentially coming into contact with such polluted water, to protect against infection.

The EPA has already closed seven beaches in County Cork because of high levels of E Coli in the water.

Bad weather in Ireland has caused a number of health and safety concerns this summer, with the Health and Safety Authority and the Irish Farmers Association recently warning of the dangers of excessively wet ground, including the threat of vehicles and machinery overturning.

© Adfero Ltd