Roadside litter costs 10 euros per person

Cleaning up garbage along public roads in Flanders is costing Flemish taxpayers some EUR 60 million each year – this is EUR 10 per person. 2.7 kilograms of litter per capita are being collected every year, it has been calculated at the request of the Flemish Environment minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V).

The cost has been calculated at EUR 61.5 million for 2013, taking into account the effort for removing the litter, handling the garbage, emptying public litter bins, communication expenses, overhead costs and organising clean-up initiatives for volunteers.

Local municipalities are covering some 90 per cent of the work. The other 10 per cent is done by the Flemish government.

In 2013, 17.5 tons were collected, which equals over 2.5 kilograms of roadside litter per person.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica