Thousands of volunteers, together with companies and (nature) organisations, have done a huge amount of work to make the banks of the Maas and its tributaries rubbish-free. A total of 209 activities were organised, including 15 along Belgian banks for the first time this year. The organisation cleared 200,000 kilos of waste, according to initial estimates.

Maas CleanUp: Some 10,000 volunteers removed plastic and other waste from the Maas in Limburg on Saturday. The first estimate amounts to some 200,000 kilos of rubbish. In addition, numerous volunteers in towns and villages in the area were also active in cleaning up plastic rubbish. Maas CleanUp Chairman Huub Waterval was very satisfied. "It is the fourth year that we are doing this, and the enthusiasm remains undiminished. Moving it to spring also proved successful. We once again joined forces with hundreds of volunteers who have been cleaning up in spring for years. Without their efforts and commitment, we would not have managed to clean up so much".

Noi Boesten, Projectleider at the Instituut voor Natuureducatie – IVN (institute of nature education): "Last year, we started with central pick-up points managed together with member companies. These are proving to be a great success again this year". Partners adopt a part of a bank, a rubbish hotspot or a spot near their business and voluntarily make themselves responsible for keeping the area clean. This manifested itself this year in the form of pick-up points where participants could pick up their items and gather for a social gathering afterwards. This gives Maas CleanUp member companies a good insight into that part of the Maas and what is going on locally. This allows them to act as guardians of this stretch of the Maas. This concept stems from the petition that Maas CleanUp submitted to the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) in spring 2022. Maas CleanUp is not waiting for a decision, but showing that things can and must be better now.

Maas Cleanup
Maas Cleanup is a movement of volunteers, companies, (nature) organisations and residents, united for the Maas. Instead of causing it, they want to become solvers of the pollution problem together. Meanwhile, the initiative has grown into a vibrant community of companies and organisations working together for a more sustainable world.