DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

4 July 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Politics
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Smaller beaches after the storm, sand suppletion controversial

February 12, 2020
Photo: DutchNews.nl
Photo: DutchNews.nl

Storm Ciara has wiped out large swathes of beach on the Dutch coast but Rijkswaterstaat says sand suppletion is not necessary and would contravene nitrogen pollution rules, regional papers report.

Inspection of the beaches at Schoorl, Hargen and Camperduin in the province of Noord Holland had to be abandoned in the aftermath of this weekend’s storm because there was ‘no more beach to drive on’ and what there was had ‘turned into quicksand’, provincial waterboard inspectors told NH Nieuws.

Waterways authority Rijkswaterstaat said coastal safety is not compromised. ‘It looks pretty dramatic: almost no beach and dunes chopped off at right angles. But the sand is there, blown up into the dunes or under the water. It will accumulate again with the tide,’ a spokesman told the paper.

In Zeeland a number of ways in to the beach have been closed and local businesses are anxious for the authorities to bring in more sand so beach huts and beach bars can be ready for the summer. ‘It will be a tight squeeze for guests this summer otherwise,’ a local bar owner told regional broadcaster Omroep Zeeland.

Suppletion is not an option at the moment, however. ‘The machines we are using produce too much nitrogen compound pollution,’ a waterboard spokesman told the broadcaster.

Action

‘But it is to be hoped that in dangerous situations such as we’re experiencing now, an exception will be made. The ministry needs to take action,’ he said.

MPs from the fundamentalist Christian SGP have called on the government to allow sand to be pumped up despite the nitrogen pollution norms.

‘The safety of people and animals are more important than the the nitrogen norms,’ MP Christ Stoffer said. ‘We think the beach at Walcheren needs to be repaired now and not after some lengthy procedure,’ he said.

The infrastructure said it will continue to monitor dunes and dykes along the Zeeland coast. Storm Dennis is expected to hit the Netherlands on Sunday.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Council scraps home for 14 girl refugees after violent protests
Mixed weather ahead as summer warmth takes a break
Holiday rentals plunge in Amsterdam, but grow overall in NL
Podcast: The Eternal Sunshine of the Forever Chemicals Edition
Leeuwinnen have mountain to climb to repeat 2017 Euros success
NewsHomeEconomyPoliticsArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now