A tiny coastal town on Italian island Sardinia has proposed a ban on beach towels and large beach bags, in an effort to preserve the sand dunes at La Pelosa beach. The popular Mediterranean beach attracts thousands of tourists each day during peak season, many of whom leave with sand-caked accessories.

"We didn't come up with the idea of banning towels," Stintino Mayor Antonio Diana told La Repubblica. "The entire plan is based on scientific studies that indicate towels as one of the biggest dangers, since when they're damp they retain a lot of sand. This isn't some airy-fairy idea."

Instead of towels, beachgoers would be able to rent folding chairs, mats and reusable see-through bags.

La Pelosa is also scheduled for a number renovations to begin after the summer of 2019, including removing the road that leads to the beach and replacing it with pedestrian paths and bicycle lanes. The plan also calls for installing a new raised walkway along the beach to keep pedestrians off the sand dunes.

Last year, La Pelosa was ranked one of the top 10 beaches in Italy by Trip Advisor. Diana said he's not ruling anything out to protect and preserve the popular beach.