AN ALGARVE beach is the first in the country to test a system that combats coastal erosion.
Ecoplage, created in 1983 by Danish engineer Hans Verterby, is a system which aims to control the erosion of sand by installing underwater drainage channels two metres under the sand where waves break.
The water is filtered and the sand, which is brought in on the waves remains on land. The filtered water can then be used for aquariums, pools and desalinisation.
The Vila Sol resort near Quarteira is keen to apply the Ecoplage process at Ancão beach and hopes to collaborate on presenting this system to national institutions and entities.
However, professors at the University of the Algarve’s Ocean Science and Environment department believe that this system will not be effective on Portuguese beaches as many are on an incline and the sand is not fine enough. They admitted that it could be effective in the Alentejo, on beaches like Caparica or Arrifana, where the inclines are less prominent.
The system is likely to be introduced on many beaches if it is approved. Ecoplage will not be seen on the beaches and will not generate any noise.
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