The not-for-profit organisation Propere Strandlopers (Clean Beach Combers) collected more waste along Belgium's beaches last year than in 2023. The amount of waste collected was up by a quarter. The organisation blames global warming in part. ‘2024 was the wettest year on record. Due to the abundant rainfall, more waste flows into the sea more quickly,’ Tim Corbisier of Propere Strandlopers explains.
137,000 litres. That's how much waste Propere Strandlopers volunteers collected on Belgium's beaches in 2024. That's 25 per cent more than the previous year. The figure is included in the organisation's newly published annual report.
‘We have got more volunteers picking up litter, but the increase is too strong to blame it just on that,’ says Tim Corbisier. ‘Global warming is the main reason we are collecting more litter.’
More storms, more litter
It is mainly the rain that is causing more litter on beaches. ‘2024 was the wettest year ever recorded. The rain causes water levels in rivers to rise. The higher water level and flow rate cause more waste to be driven out to sea more quickly.’ That then washes up on the beach.
In addition, global warming is also causing more turbulent weather. ‘There are more Atlantic storms, with high waves. These also bring more waste to our beaches.’
Crowded beaches, more waste
But aren’t beachgoers to blame for the large amount of litter found on our beaches? ‘Obviously, people also leave litter on our beaches,’ says Corbisier. ‘About 10 to 15 per cent of the litter we find was left by beach guests.’
Especially large crowds during hot summer days lead to more litter. ‘That too is partly due to global warming,’ says Corbisier. ‘There are more hot days when people flock to coastal resorts. There are so many people on the beach that the bins are bulging and refuse collection can't keep up either. The result is more litter on the beach.’
World War I rubbish
Among all the rubbish, the volunteers also collect some pretty unusual items. ‘Last year, we found a rare block of rubber that was more than 100 years old. It came from a Japanese ship sunk by a German submarine during the Great War.’
More old waste washes ashore. ‘We also found packaging from a bag of crisps probably sold in the early Seventies. It just goes to show that waste left behind does not decompose.’