Littering along Luxembourg’s roadways can lead to hefty fines, with penalties ranging from €145 to €1,000 – or even up to €10,000 if the case goes to court. Despite these measures, the problem persists, as evidenced by the 27 tonnes of rubbish collected on the Grand Duchy’s motorways in 2024. The waste included bottles, wrapping papers, and various types of plastic.
Tim Mirgain, a waste management expert at the Environment Agency, highlighted the scale of the issue in an interview with our colleagues from RTL Télé. He noted that 11% of respondents in a survey admitted to discarding plastic waste on the ground.
Cigarette butts are the most commonly found litter, with half of smokers admitting to throwing them on the ground or into drain holes. Mirgain emphasised that cigarette filters, made of plastic, break down into microplastics that often end up in waterways. Globally, 40% of discarded cigarette butts eventually reach the oceans.
Over 100 million cigarette butts end up on the ground every year. To combat this, the “MERCI” campaign was launched in autumn 2024.
Mirgain stressed the importance of raising public awareness, as littering along roads and hiking trails remains a significant issue in Luxembourg. The Environment Agency regularly conducts measurements to track the number of cigarette butts and other waste at specific locations.
Mirgain also pointed out that littering has become more prevalent in recent years due to the increasing use of packaging for food products. Motorists, in particular, tend to discard waste between villages. Despite these challenges, Mirgain praised the annual community cleaning initiatives organised by municipalities ahead of spring.
Cleaning Luxembourg’s roadways costs the state approximately €1.2 million annually. On average, 103kg of waste is collected per kilometre, a figure that rises to 216kg along motorways.
