The city of Ghent reported a 1.8% increase in illegal dumping last year, with 48,833 such incidents registered, according to the Ivago city-cleaning copmpany.
Ivago collected 1,015 tonnes of illegally dumped waste in 2024, up 11.3%. When street litter and waste from bins are included, the total amount of collected rubbish reached 4,621 tonnes.
Despite this, the commitment of Ghent residents to keeping their city clean remains high. A record number of 890 residents have volunteered as ‘Propere Pierkes’ to keep their streets, squares, and neighbourhoods free of litter.
The city supports them with tools such as litter pickers and bin bags. Participation in the annual Gruute Kuis campaign also increased, moving from 4,134 people in 2023 to 4,792 in 2024.
“Cleanliness is a complex societal issue with no quick fix,” stated Sofie Bracke, Ghent’s Alderman for Public Cleanliness. “If we want to make Ghent a clean city, we all need to work together.”
To better target clean-up efforts, the city compiles neighbourhood reports and heatmaps. These are then shared with partners and local networks, particularly in areas like Nieuw Gent, the Watersportbaan, and the Dampoort, where specific projects are underway to combat illegal dumping.
