A pensioner, fed up by dirty streets in his home city of Charleroi, has launched a “most disgusting street” competition to force authorities to clean up their act, RTL Info reports.
“We have lunch and dinner facing this disastrous ‘landscape’. This situation has been going on for years despite exchanges with unscrupulous neighbours, reports to the neighbourhood police, the environmental police, etc. Nothing has changed,” pensioner Jacques complained.
Images sent by the pensioner to RTL Info include fly tips, uncollected trash, industrial waste, abandoned vehicles, piles of discarded car tires, and construction supplies litter the streets in his commune of Marchienne-au-Pont.
Garbage bag in Charleroi. Credit: Belga/ Siska Gremmelprez
To raise awareness of the issue, the pensioner has created his own city-wide competition, complete with tongue-in-cheek “prizes.”
First prize is a crate of live rats caught by local residents. Second prize, of dead ones. The third prize, a tonne of rubbish. The consolation prize is a “weekend spent in the Rue du Pélon, in a tent, in order to immerse yourself in the atmosphere.”
While the prizes are more of a joke, the competition is very real. Jacques desperately wants to draw attention to the problem of littering and the environment in the city, which is well known for its run down and decrepit reputation following the city's deindustrialisation.
“We are… organising a battle to determine the most disgusting street in the City of Charleroi, despite our Mayor Paul Magnette saying, repeatedly, that repressive actions against polluters will be carried out using cameras, agents, auditors, etc,” the pensioner explained.
Fight against filth
Jacques claims that there is no punishment for the improper dumping of waste. Authorities will just come and collect it regardless, leading to a vicious cycle of fly tipping and waste. He expressed his anger towards city officials for inaction.
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The Charleroi City Hall says that it is well aware of the waste problem, especially around Marchienne-au-Pont, and blames the actions of irresponsible residents.
“It’s a vicious cycle because of the growing number of people who are uncivil and disrespectful of the environment and of the well being of their hometown,” local authorities told RTL.
The City says that it is working alongside the police and waste management officials to enforce regulations relating to the disposal of waste. It also reaffirms its commitment to installing surveillance cameras to attempt to catch illegal waste dumpers, which it says will be used to prosecute criminals. No date has yet been announced for the installation of these cameras.
