Over the past few years, rampant pollution caused by coastal dumpsites and sewage pipelines flowing into the sea have deprived many of the Lebanese of the pleasure of dipping into the water.

The National Center for Marine Sciences, affiliated to the National Council for Scientific Research, on Tuesday published its 2019 report on Lebanon’s sea water quality, advising beachgoers on where to wade and where to avoid.

The sea-water monitoring study indicated that no progress has been made in comparison with previous years, blaming the absence of environmental initiatives, waste dumping along the coastline, wastewater disposal and industrial contamination.

The toxicology report revealed that the most polluted Lebanese beaches are: Ramleh Al-Bayda, Manara, Burj Hammoud, Dbayeh, Selaata, Tripoli's public beach, Akkar’s Klayaat, and Abdel Wahab island in Tripoli.

Shores that are safe for swimming are: Tyre, Naqoura, Batroun, Jbeil, Fidar, Tabarja, Okaibe, Anfeh and Maamelten.

Other spots along the coast have been labeled as "fairly critical" due to its proximity to high concentrations of chemical and bacterial contamination, notably: Rmeileh, Sidon, Sarafand, and Al-Hery.

Metals found at alarming levels in coastal waters include mercury, lead, cadmium, copper and zinc.

Report results:

- Tripoli’s public beach: Highly polluted; unsafe for swimming

- Batroun: Very clean

- Jbeil - Al Bahsa: Very clean

- Jounieh-Maameltein: Water quality improved compared to last year from relatively clean to very clean

- Beaches stretching from Dbayeh to Ramleh Al-Bayda: Polluted due to sewage

- Beaches stretching from Damour to Nakoura: Cautious to critical

- Sidon’s public beach: Critical due to sewage dumps

- Tyre’s reserve: Clean despite a slight bacterial permeation