Texel Plastic Foundation Vrij uses a clear working method. Every first Saturday of the month, a group of volunteers pulls the beach to collect waste. In addition, there are self -developed jut cages in strategic places along the coast, where hikers can leave finds found. Especially on remote beaches without beach tents – where fewer tourists come – these cages play an important function.
“We talk a lot about citizen participation and taking responsibility for your environment. Here you see that in practice,” says Roland Bisschop chairman. “More and more hikers are taking waste and throw it in our jut cages. If they were to disappear, we would go back in time ten years. That would be a bad development.”
A clean beach costs money
When founding in 2023, the organization received municipal support for waste processing, but that commitment will expire in 2026. Occasional subsidies now still offer some relief, but Texel Plastic is free looking for a structural solution. “We can continue with our own resources, but soon the pot will be empty.”
Text continues under the photo