Roadside litter costs 10 euros per person
Cleaning up garbage along public roads in Flanders is costing Flemish taxpayers some 60 million euros each year - this is 10 euros 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 61.5 million euros 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.
17.5 tons were collected in 2013, which equals over 2.5 kilograms of roadside litter per person.