The City of Antwerp is expanding its specialised enforcement team against illegal dumping from 20 to 31 staff. Team Hercules will combine camera surveillance, artificial intelligence (AI) and on-the-ground investigations to identify offenders and recover the costs of clearing illegally dumped waste.
The team will focus on locations particularly affected by fly-tipping, with special attention to priority neighbourhoods. Its name refers to the Greek mythological hero who cleaned the Augean stables.
“Antwerp has no place for people who treat the city like a rubbish dump. With 11 additional enforcement officers, smart cameras and artificial intelligence, we are giving our new Team Hercules the muscle it needs to tackle illegal dumping. Anyone who turns our streets into rubbish dumps faces a greater risk of being caught and a hefty bill,” said Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA).
Alderman for Street Cleaning and Waste Management Ken Casier (N-VA) added: “Team Hercules is now on standby 24/7 to clear illegally dumped waste. This allows us to target the problem more effectively, identify offenders more quickly and tackle this persistent issue at its source.”
Cameras and AI support investigations
Team Hercules has two units: a camera team that analyses surveillance footage and an investigation team that searches dumped waste for evidence. The City combines both approaches depending on the location and type of waste. Cameras are particularly useful for investigating abandoned bulky waste and household appliances, while field investigations can provide leads in other cases.
Antwerp has invested in fixed and mobile cameras and is now using AI to analyse footage more efficiently. The technology helps monitor larger areas, detect offences and identify offenders. Where images alone are insufficient, officers search rubbish bags for identifying information or confront suspected offenders at the scene. Evidence can then be used to issue municipal administrative sanctions (GAS fines).
Analysis of camera footage has also helped the city identify when dumping is most likely to occur. Contrary to common assumptions, it does not happen exclusively at night. The information allows officers to plan targeted operations when the chances of catching offenders in the act are greatest.
Clean-up costs recovered from offenders
Illegal dumping carries a municipal administrative fine of at least €150, in addition to the cost of removing the waste.
Antwerp recovered €306,280 in clean-up costs from offenders in 2025, more than double the €144,189 recovered in 2024.
