Credit: Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity

On Tuesday 10 March 2026, the partners of the Alzette and Chiers river contracts and the municipality of Kayl, together with Luxembourg’s Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, presented the results of the recent inter-municipal and cross-border riverbank clean-up operation.

The clean-up was carried out from Monday 23 February to Saturday 7 March 2026. For two weeks, thirteen Luxembourg municipalities, as well as several French partners mobilised to remove waste, accumulated along the Alzette, the Chiers and their tributaries. In total, teams covered and cleaned 78 kilometres of waterways.

According to the Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, this coordinated action aimed to preserve biodiversity and support the return of more natural and resilient rivers.

Municipal teams, partner associations and volunteers collected a “significant” quantity of waste, confirming the need for regular action to limit the impact of pollution on waterways.

The removed waste varied widely and included plastics, packaging, metal waste, bulky items, construction residues and various objects transported by wind, bad weather or drainage networks.

The ministry shared the first observations during the presentation. Teams collected 47 m³ of waste, or about 6 000 kilograms, including:

• 2,500 plastic bottles;
• 1,200 glass bottles;
• 1,900 metal cans;

Along 78 kilometres of riverbanks, this equals roughly one bottle or can every 14 metres.

According to the ministry, these figures illustrate the importance of prevention and waste reduction actions, which form the cornerstone of a sustainable waste management policy. In this context, targeted campaigns against littering have already taken place, while specific prevention initiatives developed together with relevant stakeholders are also planned during the year.

This operation complements ongoing river renaturation work, the actions of the Luxembourg’s River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) and measures supported under the "Naturpakt" (nature pact).

Minister Wilmes stated: “This operation perfectly illustrates what we can achieve when municipalities, associations and our cross-border partners work hand in hand. Rivers do not recognise borders. Their protection should not either.”

The mayor of Kayl, Jean Weiler, noted that although this action is necessary today, it should be unnecessary. He highlighted that the quantity of rubbish found in nature shows that much of it consists of waste that people could easily avoid producing. He called on residents and citizens to recycle properly and avoid throwing waste into nature. He also encouraged them to treat the environment with greater awareness and respect, since everyone can make their own contribution. He continued by thanking the local initiative and management centre (CIGL) in Esch-sur-Alzette as well as the municipalities that took part in the initiative.

Photo Caption: Serge Wilmes, Luxembourg’s Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity;

Photo Credit: Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity