Smoke-free areas on the beach? Not just yet

Hundreds of cigarette ends were collected from West-Flemish beaches for the occasion of the Eneco Clean Beach Cup recently, on 22 March. The clean-up effort was a general one, but focused on cigarettes in particular.

Some are suggesting to ban smoking in certain areas, but it seems too early for that. Blankenberge Burgomaster Patrick De Klerck (liberal) says the issue has not yet been raised at the general meetings between mayors from coastal municipalities. He adds that banning cigarettes is a federal issue that belongs to the Health Department. Federal sources confirm this, but add they have never received a request in that sense.

Smoke-free beaches are a common sight in Australia, the U.S. and Canada. France also adopted this idea in recent years, in places like Nice, Cannes, Saint-Malo and even in cities like Saint Quentin.