Barcelona estimates that 1% of beach users continued to smoke, despite the ban that came into force this year.
The Councillor for Ecological Transition and Climate Emergency, Eloi Badia, praised the “high level of compliance” with the ban and the degree, and stated that satisfaction with the ‘Platges sense fum’ initiative was, on average, 8 out of 10.
The initiative was launched as a pilot, and although there is high compliance, some 72% of beachgoers claim to still find cigarette ends on the beaches, mainly near infrastructure and promenades.
For the moment, nobody has been sanctioned for not adhering to the rules, but that may well take place in the future if people fail to comply, according to the town hall.
