Turnhout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Turnhout’s Parkwijk, Councillor Luc Debondt warns about rising illegal dumping. He collects 8 garbage bags weekly. Trash attracts rats; the city cleans only public areas unless health risk.
As VRT news reported, in Turnhout‘s Parkwijk district, Luc Debondt, a municipal councillor, is concerned about increasing illegal waste dumping. Over the weekend, a large amount of household waste was dumped in front of local shops.
They even had items like beds, mattresses, old furniture, and refrigerators. They specified that the city’s clean-up got a lot of property removed from public areas. But, because the trash behind the shops is on private property, that trash remained.
According to officials, in Turnhout’s Parkwijk neighbourhood, trash left on private property must be cleaned up by the person who dumped it or by the owners of the nearby homes or shops. They mentioned that the city only steps in if the garbage is a danger to public health, like when there are rats or harmful waste.
Councillor Luc Debond is upset about how often people dump trash in the area. He says it shows no respect for the neighbourhood or the volunteers who try to keep it clean. Debondt believes the problem will not go away unless rules are enforced better and people take more responsibility. He says the city is doing what it can, but real change needs help from local owners, strict action against dumpers, and more care from the public to keep the area clean.
“The litter also attracts flies, birds and rats.”
Councillor Luc Debondt (TIM)
What can stop the rise of illegal dumping in Parkwijk?
Luc Debondt claims that fly-tipping, or the dumping of rubbish illegally, has increased more than ever before over the last months in the Parkwijk district of Turnhout. He is both a council councillor and a litter volunteer, and for the last 7 years, he has been patrolling the area to pick up the litter.
But now, he says the amount of litter is too much for one person to handle.
“Every week, I easily fill 8 garbage bags with waste,”
Debondt says.
“The problem is growing fast. I can’t keep up anymore.”
Luc Debondt says the growing trash problem in Parkwijk is also bad for health. The dumped waste brings flies, birds, and rats, and he says rats are already showing up in parts of the area. This makes the neighbourhood dirty and unsafe for the people living there. He wants others to respect the work of volunteers and locals who try to keep things clean.
Debondt believes the problem needs a real fix now. He thinks there should be stricter checks, more steps to stop trash before it starts, and better teamwork between people, shop owners, and the city. He mentioned that only then can illegal dumping be stopped for good.
