'Litter tourism' on the rise in Brussels region

A fifth of illegal waste dumping in the capital is carried out by people who do not live in the Brussels region, according to newly released statistics, with the most polluting municipalities being Grimbergen, Meise and Wemmel, in Flemish Brabant.

After 470 cases seen in 2024, some 526 people were fined by the agency Bruxelles Propreté between January and August 2025 alone for carrying out what it calls “rubbish tourism”, according to Brussels minister for environment and cleanliness Alain Maron.

"Attracted by the significantly lower priced binbags, some people do not hesitate to travel several kilometres to dump their waste in Brussels municipalities, particularly those on the outskirts," said Brussels regional MP and Schaerbeek councillor Hasan Koyuncu (Socialist).

"This behaviour causes environmental damage, overloads sanitation services and generates significant costs for the municipalities concerned. It also raises issues of inter-regional governance and territorial equity."

Offenders caught in 2025 “were billed €57,206 for waste removal and processing costs, with extra fines still to follow,” said Maron.

He said that efforts to combat the phenomenon were increasing, with the number of fines issued by the ‘Investigation and Fines’ department already exceeding the total recorded in 2024.

Several Brussels municipalities bordering Flanders are particularly affected. Avenue de Vilvoorde, which connects Brussels to Vilvoorde, is a particular blackspot.µ

“It is a scourge I have faced directly since taking office," said Brussels alderman for finance and public cleaning Anas Ben Abdelmoumen. "People living in Flanders or Wallonia come to Brussels thinking any incivility will go unpunished."

To combat the problem, the City of Brussels and Bruxelles Propreté have set up a partnership to remove bulky items from the street.

Notably they have put up 150 concrete blocks to stop cars and vans from parking to deposit, out of sight and hidden by heavy goods vehicles, used mattresses, white general waste bags, faulty refrigerators, or rubbish of all kinds.

The action has been successful with rubbish only remaining in places without the blocks, said Ben Abdelmoumen, who added that the avenue is now “much cleaner”.

He wants further measures to be carried out with Bruxelles Propreté and Bruxelles Mobilité in terms of “redevelopment work”.

One popular suggestion is to install cameras, that make people leave the area quickly. More searching of rubbish bags to find the offending owners is also recommended.

In addition, fines must also continue to be issued, he added, emphasising: “We cannot let just anyone come and litter our city. Waste treatment, particularly for illegal dumping, costs the City of Brussels around €2 million [a year].”