“From mer to merde”: Bustle on the coast leaves traces

Yesterday in the late afternoon it was still busy by the sea. High tide towards evening caused people to leave their spot in the sand in a hurry to move further towards the dike. The traces of this migration were clearly visible. Leftovers of food, drink, bottles, cans, diapers and even sunbeds were left everywhere.

“Disguised”

The clean sandpipers have their job now that the beaches are full of waste. “Literally from mer to merde”, they say on Facebook with some videos and photos to outline the problem.

They have collected 3200 liters of litter in Ostend alone. Last year it was ‘only’ 2000 litres. “We collected as much beach waste in one day as the total summer last year,” says Tim Corbisier.

“People asked us if it was normal, what was happening. They thought it was disgusting. We went to see for ourselves and indeed, it was an apocalypse at the high tide line. Fortunately, as we cleared, people started spontaneously. Sign up to help.” (Read more below the photo.)

In Blankenberge it is even worse. The city department collected 8,000 kilograms of waste there. A line has been crossed for Mayor Bjorn Prasse. “I have already been in contact with our chief of police this morning and given the order to actively go to the beach in the coming days, together with the gas detectors, the police and the prevention service, and also to fine people.”

GAS fines, from 58 euros. Not that Blankenberge doesn’t do anything. There are 150 garbage cans on the beach alone, which are emptied several times a day.