Brussels, September 3, 2024 — A recent survey conducted by environmental organization City to Ocean has highlighted the most frequent offenders in waterway litter, revealing that packaging from Colruyt, Coca-Cola, and Cristaline are the primary contributors to pollution in the Brussels Canal.
The organization has called for immediate governmental action to address the issue and reduce littering through various measures.
Between June and mid-August of this year, City to Ocean, formerly known as Canal It Up, carried out an extensive analysis of litter retrieved from the Brussels Canal by volunteer kayakers.
The survey involved examining 3,500 pieces of waste collected from the waterway. The results paint a concerning picture of the types of litter polluting the canal and the companies responsible for a significant portion of it.
The most frequently retrieved items included plastic bottles, snack wrappers, cans, plastic bags, and smoking materials.
Specifically, plastic bottles topped the list with 402 pieces recovered, followed by snack packaging such as Mars and Twix wrappers at 366, cans at 329, plastic bags at 316, and smoking-related waste like cigarette butts, packaging, and lighters at 209.
Plastic waste, including bottles, cans, caps, and labels, accounted for 27% of all litter retrieved. City to Ocean argues that a deposit return system could have significantly reduced this proportion by incentivizing proper disposal and recycling.
The organization noted that nearly all glass bottles collected were not deposit returnable, highlighting the effectiveness of the scheme for beer bottles, where a 10-cent deposit incentivizes their return and recycling.
City to Ocean identified the producers responsible for about half of the litter retrieved. For the third consecutive survey, packaging from Colruyt, Coca-Cola, and Cristaline was found to be the most prevalent.
Cristaline’s plastic water bottles appeared in nearly all cleanups, while Colruyt and Coca-Cola products were found in 90% of the cleanups.
The environmental group criticized Colruyt for its practice of double-wrapping products in plastic to promote multipack sales, a strategy that significantly contributes to littering.
Despite claims from major corporations about the recyclability of their packaging, City to Ocean’s findings suggest that these claims do not always translate into reduced litter in natural environments.
To combat the issue, City to Ocean has proposed several “structural solutions.” The organization advocates for the implementation of a deposit return scheme with a 25-cent deposit for cans and plastic bottles, which they believe could greatly reduce the amount of waste entering waterways.
Additionally, they recommend banning single-use plastic and cardboard cups, as well as drink pouches like those used by Caprisun.
City to Ocean also calls for businesses to be more transparent about their plastic and raw material usage. They urge companies to minimize plastic use, redesign packaging for reusability, and transition towards refillable and reusable models.
The group emphasizes that these measures are essential for creating a circular economy where every package has value and multiple uses, rather than contributing to a linear disposable society.
“We need to completely reverse today’s norm of a linear disposable society to a circular reuse society where every package has value and multiple lives,” said a representative from City to Ocean. “It is time to break the recycling myth.”
The organization has appealed to government officials and stakeholders involved in the ongoing government formations to prioritize tackling litter and implementing real structural solutions.
By addressing the root causes of pollution and promoting sustainable practices, City to Ocean believes that it is possible to achieve litter-free environments, including beaches, parks, waterways, forests, and oceans.
The survey results and the subsequent call to action underscore the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address waterway pollution in Brussels.
With major companies like Colruyt, Coca-Cola, and Cristaline identified as top offenders, there is a clear need for both corporate accountability and effective policy interventions to mitigate the environmental impact of packaging waste.
City to Ocean’s findings serve as a crucial reminder of the ongoing challenges in managing waste and protecting natural waterways.
As the organization pushes for meaningful changes, the spotlight remains on both businesses and policymakers to take decisive action in the fight against litter and environmental degradation.
