
Vacant land in Ghent, where household waste was buried in the past, with a slightly contaminated subsoil.

Playground in Leuven, household waste dumping leads to light soil contamination.

University campus in Merelbeke, non-hazardous waste was dumped, although the soil is reported to be slightly contaminated.

In the Port of Antwerp (Beveren), dredged sludge is removed to preserve the depth and flow of canals and harbors, ensuring the continued movement of shipping traffic. In the past, this sludge was frequently dumped along the riverbanks, potentially leading to soil contamination.

Private property in Harelbeke, dredged waste was dumped, causing the soil to become lightly contaminated.

Private land in Harelbeke, construction waste was dumped; details about the soil condition are available exclusively to the owners.

This landfill at the Port of Ghent is still active.

The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.

Draft project proposal: The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I would like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.

Draft project proposal: The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I would like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.

Draft project proposal: The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I would like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.

Draft project proposal: The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I would like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.



The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.


The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.

The soil plays an invaluable role in food production, water management, resource extraction, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the soil is contaminated in many places in Flanders. Various factors, including land use, industrial activities, agricultural practices, and urbanization, influence soil quality. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to address pollution and ensure soil quality for the future. According to government agencies, Flanders is a global example of efficient soil management, with less than 2% of our waste being landfilled in 2022. Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous former landfill sites from the past. This raises questions about the future possibilities of these risk areas left to us by history. I like to narrate a visual story with images that highlight the resilience of the soil, as well as the commitment to maintaining sustainable soil practices, with specific attention to the revised land use of old landfill sites.


















Beneath our feet
Each day, we leave behind a trail of what we no longer need—discarded items, sorted piles, buried remnants. Waste is not just a byproduct of our existence; it reflects our habits, desires, and the systems we’ve built.
From the refuse-filled streets of the Middle Ages to today’s carefully designed landfills, our relationship with waste has constantly evolved. Industrialization, plastic, and the disposable culture have deepened the divide between what we use and what we truly value.
In Belgium, each person produces a staggering amount of waste—visible in our bins, but often hidden beneath the surface. Beneath parks, industrial sites, government buildings, and solar parks, there are more than 2,500 historical landfill sites in Flanders alone—some toxic, some sealed, and others slowly returning to nature.
This photo series explores the tension between concealment and transformation: how landscapes once built from waste are coming back to life, and how forgotten places carry both damage and potential.