Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Eternit refuses to pay more for asbestos cleanup in Flanders, calling it “disproportionate.” The Flemish government, backed by N-VA, Vooruit, CD&V, Open VLD, and Groen, demands more than €4.8M over 16 years, as cleanup costs €100M annually until 2040.
Eternit, which manufactured asbestos, is refusing to be responsible for the clean-up of the dangerous substance. They claim it is not right that they have to pay for the clean-up and describe it as “disproportionate” and “possibly discriminatory.”
They even went so far as to blame the people who used asbestos, suggesting that they share some responsibility for the problem. This has upset many individuals, who hold the view that Eternit, as its maker and vendor, has the major responsibility of cleaning up, especially as they stood to gain from selling it.
In response to Eternit’s stance, several Flemish political parties, including N-VA, Vooruit, CD&V, Open VLD, and Groen, have called for legal advice on the feasibility of a decree that would require companies like Eternit to help finance asbestos removal.
Will Eternit contribute more to Flanders’ asbestos cleanup?
According to the officials, cleaning up asbestos in Flanders, Belgium, is going to be very expensive. The government estimates it will cost €100 million each year for the next 20 years. The company Eternit, which made a lot of asbestos, only promised to pay €4.8 million over 16 years. The government thinks this is not enough, especially since Eternit made most of the asbestos used in Flanders.
They stated that asbestos remains present in many buildings, and due to its hazards, it has to be cleaned. A bill that will make Eternit pay extra for cleaning is already being drafted by the government.
The Flemish government is working to get rid of asbestos in the region by 2040. They want to make sure that the cleanup happens faster and more efficiently. They’re asking companies like Eternit to pay more money to help with the cleanup. The government is also looking at how to improve the cleanup process.
Officials mentioned that they’re going to see if the current rules are good enough or if they need to make new rules. They said that the goal is to protect people from getting sick from asbestos, which has already caused many health problems in Flanders.
