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Nature managers are worried about Dutch beaches, after an alarming report by environmental expert Epp Kleber. Research shows that Dutch beaches are composed of non-biodegradable sand.

Not only in the Netherlands, but also in many other countries, beaches consist of sand. And this is exactly the problem. “Most materials, such as wood and certain types of grass, degrade over time. But not sand,” Kleber warns. “Thanks to our research, we now know that sand is not biodegradable. We never throw it away. In Scheveningen we found sand that has been around for hundreds of years. Put some sand in a jar yourself. After a few years it still looks exactly the same.”

According to Kleber, there are millions of tons of sand on Dutch beaches alone: ​​“That in itself is not a problem, but it would be alarming if this stuff ended up in the sea. Fish can swallow sand. And because people eat fish, small grains of sand can end up too.” in our bodies.”

However, there is also good news, because according to Kleber, a solution to the sand problem is now being worked on: “In some countries they are trying to cover the beaches with plastic waste, so that the sand does not flow into the sea . . . In India and the Philippines they have already come a long way in this matter.”