The tropical summer weather on Monday drew large crowds to the Belgian coast, resulting in plenty of beach fun and a vibrant atmosphere—but also a significant

amount of litter. By Tuesday morning, Belgian beaches were strewn with food waste, cans, bottles, and even abandoned parasols.

The non-profit organization Proper Strandlopers (‘Clean Beachgoers’), which organizes volunteer clean-ups on Ostend beach, reported collecting a staggering 4,000 liters of rubbish on Monday evening—an all-time record. The situation was similar in Blankenberge, where large amounts of trash were also left behind.

"We do everything we can to keep our beach clean, but there is a lack of respect for our nature. We provide extra bins, we deploy additional staff for clean-up, and yet beachgoers still leave their rubbish behind. It makes me angry," said Kurt Claeys, deputy mayor of Ostend (Open VLD).

This issue wasn't limited to Monday. Over the weekend, coastal towns faced a similar challenge as it was the busiest weekend of the year. With nearly all hotels fully booked and 360,000 day tourists flocking to the seaside, the amount of litter left behind was overwhelming.