CIVIL SOCIETY: 269 PRACTICES
Since 15-6-1979 PCER has as aim the improvement of the quality of life and environment and the consumer's protection. Has organized scientific laboratories and experts and researchers for the study of environmental problems and in order to conduct studies for integrated issues.
More: www.pakoe.gr
The goal of the action, wich is implemented by the indipendent social-environmental body PCER, is to inform the citizens about the pollution of the sea swim waters, so they avoid to swim at the beaches which have pollution microbial load and chemical compounds and protect the health of their family.
The action is directed to all greek citizens and foreign tourist. Also is directed to the public authorities (i.e. Port facility) wich, where they can, interfere and improve the situation of the cleanliness at the seas and beaches.
30 days taking samples and analysis (1-31/5/2017)
150 days public information (1/6-31/10/2017)
180 days total
Houndred of thousands citizens, adults and children, swim at little long seas respect of the total lenght of the cost of our Country, wich is about 15.000 Kilometers. At civil centers and around them seas are usually "dirty". This is due to a large extend at the absence or the defective operation of the organic cleaning, uncontrolled rejection of civil and industrial sewage (sink, , restaurants , tavern by the sea, illegal drainages, etc) We must also notice that with the excretions, with the illegal uncontrolled waste disposal sites at marine wetlands, with the uncontrolled disposal dangerous - most of the times - sewage in some points, the access for free swimming becomes dangerous for little children, women and all of us. If the water we enjoy with swim is not free of microorganism, then is possible to become the reason of transport, dispersion, transmission to the population of pathogenic microorganism and therefore become the cause of extensive epidemic with aquatic origin. The microorganism wich are interested for the quality of water in terms of sanitation are mainly the viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helmintes or parasitic worms. Also some microorganism are associating with odor and taste problems at the water and also with the appearance of slimy microbial mass inside the piping of the distribution network (bacteria, algae, fungus). The impacts to the children, who are sensible and vulnerable at contaminations and they can take enterococcus and coliforms and eseriha coli, dangerous pathogenic microbes and need cure for 2-3 years. The cost of the cure and the cost at the mental health of this children and their families is enormous.
Panhellenic Center of Ecological Research
PANHELLENIC CENTER OF ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (PCER) with the assistance of his collaborators, mainly volunteers, as has done the last 39 years of οπερατιον, tookes samples from 346 swimming shores at Attica, Eubea, Viotia, Salamina, Corinth Golf, North Peloponnese, South-East Peloponnese, Messinia and Magnisia and after analysis in the PCER certified Laboratories, wich is realized by a biologist University Professor, has the results of the pollution parameters (coliforms, enterococcus, e.coli) of the sea swimming waters and about the suitables and no suitables beaches for swim. They are founded 194 beaches non suitable for swim (56,07%) during the period of MAy 2017. All the results in details are in the PCER website (www.pakoe.gr). PCER more then the results of the research at his website, has dedicated two inserts of 16 pages each at the issues of June and July 2017 of his monthly newspaper "Oikonomia" ("Economy") with the title at the July 2017 insert "do you know how clean is the beach you choose ? " The newspaper is edited every month in 50.000 copies and is circulated across the Country. PCER has 35.000 subscribers all over Greece. They have started to call from now hunderd of citizens at PCER to ask when we will do the research for this year at the beaches and where they will find the newspaper who will publish the results.
The results pf the research was very positive, although 194 from the 346 beaches (56,07%) was founded no suitable for swim and 152 beaches was founded suitable for swim (43,93%). The impact to the citizens was immediate and the research was very successful since the visit of PCER website was of 3,65 million of citizens, when at the corresponding website of the Ministry of Energy the visit was of just 82.000 persons. We must notice that, unfortunaly, were some people who, for thjeir reasons, was disturbed from the research of PCER and they menaced with lawsuits etc. PCER has not fear of menaces and continues his clear, not interwoven work. We continue serve only the interest of our fellow citizens, against many times at the organized interest wich shunt systematically the value of health, pollute our seas or ignoring the pollution degree. A ntypical case is the beach at Drepano of Achaia wich is founded contaminated with asbestos fibers from the Plant of "AMIANTIT" . In the research of PCER was founded 1.000 tons of asbestos which are exposed for 10 yeqars in the mercy of the weather. Otherwise the people' s echoes shows the utility of the PCER work. Hundred of calls has received PCER by fellow citizens who thank for the research and ask more informations for the beaches they are interested.
The described beaches of Attica, Eubea, Viotia, Salamina, Corinth Golf, North Peloponnese, South-East Peloponnese, Messinia and Magnisia.
NO.
The research was done with the partecipation of volunteers, for taking the samples and for the samples analysis at the certified PCER' s Laboratory. At the samples analysis has partecipated a biologist University Professor and volunteers.
PCER website big traffic (3.650.000 visitors) , the republish at newspapers, magazins, media, of the research results is an important benefit for the Organization and give us courage to continue.
