Antwerp (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): In August, the Council for Permit Disputes took away Isvag’s permit in Wilrijk. Indaver will burn waste for 30 municipalities, while Isvag’s oven will stay open for 10 more years.
In late August, the Council for Permit Disputes took away the permit for the Wilrijk incinerator because of ongoing legal and environmental issues. They gave the operator, Isvag, a short extension to find other ways to manage waste. However, Isvag had a hard time coming up with good options. This permit revocation and the deadline showed how urgent it was to find a new plan.
What will happen to Antwerp’s waste management after Isvag closes?
Isvag found it very hard to come up with good alternatives to incineration. Switching from the way waste is handled at the Wilrijk facility turned out to be more complicated than they expected. They faced problems like technical issues, money limitations, and rules that made things difficult. It has been said that because of this, finding effective and sustainable waste management solutions is still a big challenge, showing how tough it can be to change waste management practices.
Indaver’s facility in Waaslandhaven will take over burning waste because the old oven’s permit expires on Tuesday, and it needs to shut down. Indaver’s incinerator is dependable and has helped out when the Isvag incinerator was under repair, ensuring waste processing continues without any breaks. Switching to Indaver is a smart move to quickly meet the waste-burning needs. By going with Indaver, the authorities aim to keep waste management running smoothly, relying on Indaver’s solid track record. This change highlights the importance of having reliable waste processing facilities to handle city waste effectively, especially during times of transition.
Indaver’s spokesperson says their incinerators can handle the leftover waste from 30 municipalities, but they recently lost some long-term contracts to other companies. Isvag’s spokesperson disagrees, saying Indaver might not have enough space for all the waste and that taking on more household waste could lead to less room for commercial waste. He also warns that this would increase traffic, especially around Antwerp, with hundreds of extra trucks on the road. Recently, an agreement was made to keep the Isvag oven in Witrijk open for another 10 years, despite ongoing debates about waste management in the area.
