The quality of imported sand on Anapa beaches has raised questions from users.

Krasnodar Krai authorities reported the start of filling the first 3.5-kilometer stretch of Anapa beaches with a 50-centimeter layer of sand in preparation for the resort season. Telegram users noted that the sand resembles clay and risks worsening the beach's condition.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," Anapa authorities plan to deliver new sand to the resort's beaches in four stages, with a total of 90 days allocated for the work. The work on filling the beaches with new sand must be completed by the start of the beach season, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister stated. According to him, if the work goes according to plan, the beaches will be open by June 1.

Sand dumping for beach restoration has begun in Anapa. Work will be carried out in stages across four sections. The first is from the Central Beach to the Bimlyuk Sanatorium. This section is 3.5 kilometers long. A temporary road for equipment access has now been constructed there, the Krasnodar Krai task force reported today.

Specialists will dump an additional layer of sand at least 50 centimeters thick. This technology was previously tested on a test site. The experiment proved its effectiveness: the coastal zone received a positive assessment from Rospotrebnadzor and is considered safe for recreation. Sand from nearby quarries will be used for the dumping. Its composition is very close to local soil, the report says.

Telegram users question the quality of imported sand

21:04 26.03.2026

Anapa beach fill is insufficient to ensure the safety of vacationers

Quarry sand will not solve the problem of fuel oil emissions, but will only temporarily conceal the pollution on Anapa's beaches. The quality of the sand used to fill one of the beaches does not match what tourists in Anapa are accustomed to and could jeopardize the resort's reputation, environmentalists and activists have pointed out.

Blogger Yuri Ozarovsky reposted the announcement of the start of Anapa beach fill on his Telegram channel and received 19 comments. Most users expressed concerns that the sand is of a far lower quality than the sand found on Anapa's beaches.

"If we don't clear the sand of clay and stones, we'll have to look for another place to relax. And I wouldn't want that. I love Vityazevo, but they're forcing me not to go there," wrote Alla Belikova.

"If it turns out like the test section with clay and stones, it would be better not to fill it at all. Anapa is unfortunately losing one of its main advantages and assets, if not the main one, compared to other resorts in our south," pointed out Konstantin.

Beach fill will "finish off the beaches, turning them into mud baths, with the motto "Everything for the people."

"Beach fill will "finish off the beaches, turning them into mud baths, with the motto "Everything for "people," suggested Alexander Bil'din.

"Am I the only one who thinks this sand is different from natural sand. What about on beaches? Is it completely different in flowability?" asked Olga.

"Of course, this is quarry, construction sand, and sea sand is rounded, washed," replied Nikolay 22.

"Don't you think this is a completely different sand?" agreed Olga E.

Readers of the "Makovozovy" blog, where the story garnered 9 comments, also expressed concerns.

"The sand doesn't want to spill out of the truck. It's stuck. The flowability is poor. "Either wet or clayey. I'd jump out of the dunes with a bang," commented Oleg Andrianov on a video showing someone trying to dump sand onto the beach from the back of a truck.

"It looks like sand concrete," added Alexey.

"The color is, of course, terrible," said Lyubov.

On December 15, 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. A crew member of one of the tankers died as a result. In addition, an oil spill occurred, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences, according to the Caucasian Knot report "Fuel Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait".

Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by the Caucasian Knot on the page "Eco-disaster in Kuban".