Terms & conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CLEANUP PARTICIPANTS AND GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SALE

A. THE CLEANUP: TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS

  1. Professional. Inclusive. Positive.
     
    RIVER CLEANUP: we are active around the world, we mobilise individuals and groups to clean up litter along river banks. Local cleanup activities are central here, and RIVER CLEANUP draws on the resources of the local community. Groups, schools, associations, businesses and private individuals can organise their own cleanups, or join in with existing activities. RIVER CLEANUP's aim with these activities is to raise awareness of the problem of litter.
     
    Our values:

    • Professional: our aim is to achieve a global impact. We are conscious of the responsibilities our mission brings with it. Every step along our path is carefully considered. We aim to demonstrate our expertise and to earn respect through our transparent and open approach, making it clear who we are and what we stand for.
       

    • Inclusive: We develop strong partnerships based on mutual respect and shared values. We will work together with any organisation or individual willing to make a positive contribution to the creation of a better, cleaner world. We stand together with our partners, and share our achievements with them.
       

    • Positive: We focus on the solution rather than the problem. Positivity is in our nature. Celebrating our successes boosts our motivation and cements the commitment of our volunteers. We are a community of people who are ready to change the world for the better.
       

    • By organising an activity yourself or joining in with an existing activity, you endorse our values and confirm that you are aware of, and accept, the following terms and conditions. RIVER CLEANUP reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Amended terms and conditions will be published on the website. They will come into effect 14 days following the date of publication on the website. This date will be shown below the terms and conditions. Until that date, the previous terms and conditions will remain in effect, and can be consulted by requesting the older version via action@river-cleanup.org.

      Our details:

      River Cleanup VZW (“RIVER CLEANUP”)
      KBO/BTW BE 0719.610.237
      Website: www.river-cleanup.org
      Write to us: River Cleanup VZW, Ijzerenpoortkaai 3/86, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
      E-mail us: action@river-cleanup.org
      Telephone us: +32 478 444 610   

  2. Register for a cleanup
     

    Anyone who wishes to make a contribution to clearing litter and who meets the following requirements can register. Want to organise a cleanup or participate in a cleanup? Register your own activity or join in with an activity in your area! Invite friends, colleagues or family... Together we can make the world aware! You can register on the website.

    By registering for a cleanup, you give RIVER CLEANUP permission to use, process or reproduce photographic and/or pictorial material of the cleanup to be used on their website or social media, or in communication by RIVER CLEANUP, in cooperation with third parties, as the case may be, in a bid to promote cleanups. This means that photographs or other visual material may be created showing you and minors you registered, and from which you and minors you registered may be identified, and that RIVER CLEANUP may use such photographs and/or visual material on our website, in communication or their social media, solely for the purposes of promoting the clearing of litter.
      

    • Registering as an organiser
      ​​​​​
      All natural persons acting as organisers must be aged 16 as a minimum. Minors aged under 16 are prohibited by law from participating in voluntary work. An adult will always have ultimate responsibility for the activity.
       

    • Registering as a participant

      Where minors are involved in an activity, the permission of their parent or guardian must be obtained for their participation. Minors must also always work under the supervision of an adult during the activity. Participation is possible from the age of 15, provided the young person in question will reach the age of 16 in the current calendar year. This does not apply in the case of a school or youth-movement activity.
       

    • Your account

      Registration as an organiser or participant does not entitle you to ownership of your account. RIVER CLEANUP reserves the right to refuse, modify, suspend or remove accounts, for example if the voluntary work breaches applicable legislation, is offensive or can be qualified as spam. This is not an exhaustive list. All rights associated with created accounts shall continue to accrue to RIVER CLEANUP, taking account in all circumstances of the protection of your Personal Data (see our Privacy Statement).
       

  3. Carrying out the cleanup
     

    River Cleanup's aim is to make the process of organising a cleanup as simple as possible. Your first step should be to investigate whether your local authority may have equipment you can use; this is the most sustainable option as it avoids using transport and/or avoids equipment being used only once. If the local authority are unable to provide you with equipment, you can ask us to supply gloves, bags and litter pickers. We will be happy to help if we can, but it is not always possible to provide equipment, so this cannot be guaranteed. Cleanup equipment provided must never be left out in public spaces. Contact the local authority to have bags of litter taken away.

    All applicable legislation (including the current corona prevention measures (see https://www.river-cleanup.org/en/covid-19) must be strictly complied with. RIVER CLEANUP may in no circumstances be held liable for any contraventions.

     

  4. Safety
     
    Litter picking takes place in public spaces. Participants must, therefore, comply with any applicable traffic regulations. Dress appropriately for cold weather. Protect themselves in hot weather and use sun cream. Where cleanup operations take place during the hours of darkness, fluorescent jackets should be worn to increase visibility in traffic.

    • Wear gloves on both hands.

    • Avoid picking up sharp or hazardous items.

    • Don't clean up items in the water; do not enter the water.

    • Respect the traffic rules.

    • Supervise your children.
       

  5. Liability
     

    Any person organising an activity under the aegis of RIVER CLEANUP must take the associated responsibilities on themselves, and shall have no right of redress with regard to RIVER CLEANUP or their partners. RIVER CLEANUP may not be held liable for the accuracy of participants' details, for the quality of their work or their punctuality, or for any damages of whatever kind suffered by an organisation due to a participant's actions or omissions. We are not involved in the execution of activities by the relevant organisation and the participant. We have no control over the quality, safety or legality of the projects on offer and can offer no guarantees in this regard. We are also unable to guarantee that a participant will actually carry out the voluntary work.

    Anyone organising or participating in an activity organised under the aegis of RIVER CLEANUP does so at their own risk. The terms and conditions applicable to participants do not, of course, exclude liability for deception or intentional damage, or gross error of an equivalent nature.

    RIVER CLEANUP will not act as guarantor for the insurance of the organiser or the participants, unless so required by law. Organisers and participants must seek information from an occupational accident insurer and a civil liability insurer. In some cases, local authorities will arrange insurance for volunteers. Volunteers must register with the local authority for the area where they are active.
     

  6. Expenses payments

    The deployment of volunteers is, in principle, not recompensed by RIVER CLEANUP. Local authority subsidies may be available to organizations, and should be applied for from the relevant local authority by the cleanup organizer.

B. RIVER CLEANUP GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SALE

  1. Returns policy
     

    Without prejudice to the further conditions and the manner of implementation of the Right of Revocation as set out in Article 7 et seq of these General Conditions of Sale, a consumer shall be entitled to a 14-day period of reflection and a right of revocation in relation to the purchase of products under distance contracts within the meaning of Article I.8, 15° of Book I, Section 2, Chapter 4 of the Code of Economic Law:

    The consumer has the right to notify the company of the cancellation of the purchase, without penalty and without giving any reason, within fourteen (14) calendar days from the day following the day of delivery of the goods or from the conclusion of the service contract.

     

    The consumer shall not be entitled to cancel the purchase where the products delivered have clearly been used or where the products are not returned in a correct manner and well protected, that is to say, in their original packaging and in a perfect condition for resale (not damaged or soiled by the customer and with any accessories included). Neither shall the consumer be entitled to cancel the purchase where a product has been produced specially to order for the consumer, and/or where a product seal has been broken.

    The sale of RIVER CLEANUP products via our website takes place under a distance contract.

  2. Who owns this website?
     
    This website is the property of RIVER CLEANUP VZW (hereinafter "RIVER CLEANUP"), an association under Belgian law, RPR Ghent, appearing in the Kruispuntbank register of companies with number 0719.610.237 (BTW BE), with their Registered Premises at Ijzerenpoortkaai 3/86, 2000 Antwerp. 
    IBAN: BE90 7340 4597 0632
    BIC: KREDBEBB

  3. Cancelling an order
      

    Where the order has not yet been dispatched: E-mail us at action@river-cleanup.org to cancel the order without charge. Please state your full name, the order and the product you wish to cancel.

    Where the order has already been dispatched: you may then appeal to the entitlement to return the product within 14 days of receipt, in the sealed original packaging. You should follow the normal return procedure in this case.

     

  4. Shipping your package
     
    Where the purchased item is not physically collected, packages are generally dispatched via BPOST within 2 days of receipt of your payment, by non-priority post and without requiring a signature on delivery. If you would prefer dispatch via DPD with a signature required, an extra charge will be made. Carriage charges include handling, packaging and postage. We recommend that you place a single order for all your purchases. We are not able to combine two separately placed orders, so carriage will be charged for each individual order. Your package will be sent at your own risk, except in the case of delivery by DPD.
     

  5. I have received a damaged or the wrong product
      
    If you have received a different product to what was ordered or the product has arrived damaged, please contact us as speedily as possible by e-mail (action@river-cleanup.org). State your full name, the order number, the product and a description of the damage or error. We will then contact you as soon as possible to discuss the return of the product.
     

  6. Returning a product
     
    The consumer has the right to notify RIVER CLEANUP of the cancellation of the purchase, without penalty and without giving any reason, within 14 calendar days from the day following the day of delivery of the goods. Contact us first to discuss the return of a product. E-mail us: action@river-cleanup.org. We will then contact you as soon as possible to discuss the return of the product. Products must be returned in the original packaging.
     

  7. Reimbursement of carriage charges for returns
     
    Carriage charges for returns will be reimbursed by RIVER CLEANUP only where you received a different product to what was ordered, or where the product arrived in damaged condition. Note: RIVER CLEANUP may refuse a return where the product was damaged by the consumer.
     

  8. Force majeure
     

    Force majeure shall be taken to include: all external causes, whether foreseen or unforeseen, which RIVER CLEANUP are unable to affect and where RIVER CLEANUP are not in a position to meet their obligations.

    RIVER CLEANUP shall be entitled to appeal to force majeure where the circumstances which prevented compliance or further compliance occur after such time as RIVER CLEANUP should have fulfilled their obligations. During a period of force majeure, RIVER CLEANUP's delivery and other obligations will be suspended. Where the period during which RIVER CLEANUP are unable to fulfil their obligations due to force majeure lasts longer than 8 weeks, both parties shall be entitled to dissolve the agreement, without any requirement to pay compensation for damages arising.

    Where you as a consumer are subject to force majeure where your obligations are concerned, you may also appeal to force majeure.

     

  9. Disputes
     
    All offers and agreements are subject exclusively to the Law of Belgium, except for the principles of legal conflicts. All disputes associated with, or resulting from, agreements with RIVER CLEANUP will be brought before the Courts for the district of Oost-Vlaanderen, Ghent division, without prejudice to RIVER CLEANUP's entitlement to bring the dispute before the authorised Courts for the district in which the consumer resides.