If you don't know how clean that beach is, you might want to check.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at 4:17 p.m.
Read more: Health, Links in the News
Going to a beach this summer?
If you don't know how clean that beach is, you might want to check.
A new study by an environmental group shows that some beachergoers may be exposing themselves to the risk of serious illness - and never know.
The report highlights a problem, and the problem isn't getting better.
It's the height of vacation season and the beaches are packed.
The Natural Resources Defense Council released its 19th annual report on America's beaches, and it's not a pretty picture.
Nationwide, seven percent of samples are so contaminated not safe for swimming
Much of the pollution is caused by rain runoff.
And there's been zero improvement over the past three years.
Meaning some beachgoers are risking illnesses ranging from a rash to hepatitis.
The NRDC rated 200 of the nation's most popular beaches.
Among the best ...
"Delaware, New Hampshire and Virginia, with Alaska, North carolina and Hawaii
right behind them," says Nancy Stoner of the NRDC.
Some didn't fare nearly as well.
"Most contaminated last year were Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois."
Though the Great Lakes had some of the worst-rated beaches, the NRDC says Chicago is a shining example for the rest of the country.
But in these tough economic times, some communities are cutting back on testing.
Meaning a day at the beach might not be the good, clean fun it once seemed.
The good news is that tougher testing standards are on the way; the bad news: states won't have to adopt them for another four years.
The NRDC offers some tips to avoid a bad beach experience.
Avoid going to a beach after a rain storm and don't go in the water when you have cuts or scrapes.
The full report, and beach ratings can be found on the NRDC's web site at www.nrdc.org.
