The mayors of Blankenberge and Ostend expressed their indignation at the rubbish left on the beaches following this week's sunny days at the coast.
Pictures of beaches littered with waste emerged on social media on Tuesday, having been left behind by beachgoers. "We do everything to keep it clean here, but people have no respect for our nature," they jointly stated.
Monday’s summer temperatures drew a huge crowd to the coast. However, by Monday evening, it was clear that many beachgoers had abandoned their rubbish on the beach. This was particularly apparent in busy seaside resorts like Ostend and Blankenberge, causing frustration among the mayors.
"We put in so much effort to keep our beach clean, but there is a lack of respect for our nature. We install extra bins, we employ more people to clean up and still, beachgoers leave their rubbish behind. This makes me angry," said Kurt Claeys, the acting mayor of Ostend (Open VLD).
Rubbish lays next to an overflowing bin on the beach at the Belgian coast in Blankenberge on Tuesday 13 August 2024. Credit: Belga / Maiike Tijsenns
The charity Proper Strandlopers cleaned Ostend’s beach with numerous volunteers. On Monday evening, they collected a staggering 4,000 litres of waste. "An absolute record. We have never collected this much rubbish before," said Proper Strandlopers' Tim Corbusier.
Similarly, in Blankenberge, a substantial amount of rubbish was left on the beach. "In the summer, our staff go around twice a day to empty the bins. Of course, it was a very busy day with tourists, these are peak times. Beachgoers just don’t learn, or they don’t want to learn," said Mayor Björn Prasse (Open VLD).
"I can understand that some bins are full, but there are sufficient waste containers on the promenade to dispose of litter. The only thing we can do now is to increase controls on littering. Anyone fined for this will perhaps think twice about leaving rubbish next to the bins or on the beach."
