In a statement, Zero - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável explained that a "Zero Pollution" beach represents a coastal area where "no microbiological contamination was detected in the analyses carried out on bathing waters over the last three bathing seasons, and its classification has always been 'excellent' during that period."

Zero added that the 73 beaches represent 11% of the total 671 bathing waters, "representing a reduction of eight beaches compared to the 81 classified in 2025," with the municipalities of Grândola (six) and Porto Santo (five) having the highest number of beaches with the least contaminated waters.

The association highlighted the importance of two river beaches that have been awarded the "Zero Pollution" designation – the Vilar reservoir in Moimenta da Beira and the Alfaiates reservoir in Sabugal – "which had already reached this level of quality years ago."

The Zero association informed that the municipalities of Lagos, Moimenta da Beira, Sabugal, Setúbal, and São Vicente are now represented on the list, while the municipalities of Caldas da Rainha, Caminha, Ílhavo, Nazaré, Porto Moniz, Povoação, Santa Cruz, Sines, Sintra, and Tomar are no longer represented on the "Zero Pollution" beaches list.

In the list of beaches, 31 coastal areas were removed and 23 new ones added, totalling 45 "Zero Pollution" bathing waters in mainland Portugal, 21 in the Azores archipelago, and 7 in Madeira.

The northern region has one beach in Matosinhos and three in Viana do Castelo. In the central region, there are the beaches of Sabugal and Moimenta da Beira. In the western region, the municipalities of Alcobaça and Torres Vedras each have four beaches, followed by Lourinhã with two and one in Peniche.

The Lisbon and Tagus Valley region has one beach in Mafra, another in Setúbal, and two in Sesimbra.

The Alentejo region has six in Grândola, four in Aljezur, and two each in Odemira and Santiago do Cacém.

The Algarve coast has 10 "Zero Pollution" beaches, with Olhão and Tavira having three each, Faro two, one in Vila do Bispo, and another in Lagos.

The Azores have "Zero Pollution" beaches in the municipalities of Angra do Heroísmo, São Roque do Pico, Vila do Porto, Madalena, Praia da Vitória, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Horta, Lajes das Flores, Lajes do Pico, and Ponta Delgada.

The island of Madeira has seven beaches, five in Porto Santo, one in Calheta, and another in São Vicente.

Zero Pollution has meanwhile appealed to the Portuguese Environment Agency to "continue improving specialised and public information on the nature of beach prohibitions and restrictions, highlighting in this regard the institution's portal, 'Info Água'."

This "Zero Pollution" list was compiled in the year that Portugal will have 438 beaches, marinas, and vessels with Blue Flag status, eight fewer than in 2025.