Beach cleaning
Landes beaches are renowned for their cleanliness. With its beautiful coastline stretching for 106 km, the Landes department is very mindful of the need to protect its fine sandy beaches. This long-term project launched in 1991 was updated in 2013 with the “J’aime ma plage” (I love my beach) summer campaign to raise awareness of beach cleaning initiatives along the Landes coast.
Beach maintenance and cleaning in the Landes
All year round, the Landes department and locals work to keep this unique stretch of Europe’s coastline clean and to provide a welcoming, well-kept environment for local residents and tourists. Since 1 January 2018, this initiative has been managed by SMLL, the joint committee managing the Landes coastline.
A number of actions to collect, sort and recover waste (general household, glass, wood, etc.) are employed to achieve this result. By combining mechanical cleaning with manual operations, beach quality is maintained.
Beach cleaning operations in detail
- Mechanical cleaning ensures environmental protection while meeting the requirements of a coastline that hosts two million visitors each summer. It is prohibited across a 5-10 metre strip at the foot of the dune where it would be hazardous.
| October/May | June | July – August | September |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 8am to 4pm | From 6am to 2pm | From 10pm to 6am | From 6am to 2pm |
| – Once a month on supervised beaches – Twice a month along the rest of the coast | – Once every 3 days on supervised beaches – Once a week on extensions to supervised beaches – Twice a month along the rest of the coast | – Once every 3 days on supervised beaches – Once a week on extensions to supervised beaches – Twice a month along the rest of the coast | – Once every 3 days on supervised beaches – Once a week on extensions to supervised beaches – Twice a month along the rest of the coast |
- Manual cleaning operations involve manual picking and sorting of man-made waste only (fishing tackle, plastic, glass, cans, etc.). Organic waste (driftwood) is left. Charitable organisations regularly arrange waste collection operations, which are a good opportunity to raise awareness of pollution and the impact of consumption.
See the page “Protecting the coastline and the environment” for more information.
Key figures:
- 106 km coastline
- 38 supervised bathing areas (approximately 20 km)
- Regular cleaning operations since 1991
- 12,500 m3 of waste collected on average each year (100% recycled since 1 January 2020),
- 12 km sensitive areas cleaned by hand all year round
- 1.8 million euros a year
- 6 jobs a year (driver, mechanic, operations manager) / 7 during the summer
Summer awareness campaign, “J’aime ma plage”:
Information and awareness are the watchwords of this campaign!
Simple and useful tips to help keep the beach clean:
- Don’t leave your litter on the beach
- Don’t bury your cigarette butts in the sand. Use a portable ashtray!
- Avoid walking within five metres of the foot of the dune to keep it stable and protect the ecosystem
- If you find a dead mammal or bird, or a dangerous object, inform the lifeguard station!