2024-01-24 16:07:00
Anger rumbles. In a scenario reminiscent of the PFAS crisis, the environmentalist is accused of having authorized several metal recyclers installed in Wallonia not to respect the criteria set in their permits. The investigation measured exceedances of carcinogenic pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which, on certain sites, were up to 600 times above the standards. An excess which would have been made possible by the fact that Minister Tellier relaxed environmental standards.
“Rates 600 times too high in Courcelles”: new controversy over PCB pollution around the Keyser metal crusher
“Can we still believe what you are telling us?”, was indignant François Desquesnes, leader of the Les Engagés group, stressing that the minister had affirmed that there would be no impunity for stone crushers. metals. “Your logic of saying “there will be no more impunity” is a bit easy because you have changed the rules of the game.”
MP Fatima Ahallouch (PS), was concerned regarding the “scary” excess figures. “It’s too much, much too much.”
Jori Dupont proposed creating Priority Investigation Zones (ZIP) around the seven polluting crushers located in Hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg and Namur. The PTB deputy blasted the minister’s communication, evoking a double reality. “You have decided to no longer punish companies that exceed standards. You simply invite them not to exceed them once more. This contrasts with your positions which were taken.” Before proposing a new slogan to Ecolo. “Instead of ‘Greener, fairer’, I suggest ‘Say things, do the opposite’”.
Jacqueline Galant (MR) also pointed out a communication problem. “We must give clear messages”, pointed out the liberal, regretting that each time we have to “wait for a broadcast” to know what pollution will affect the Walloons. “When it comes from a Green minister who makes environmental protection her standard, it is inaudible to citizens,” lamented Nicolas Tzanetatos (MR).
Even in the minister’s camp, we questioned the minister’s change of position. “What are the elements that your administration has put forward to advise you to take an attitude [contre les recours déposés par le secteur industriel] ?,” asked Christophe Clersy (Ecolo).
Since November 2019, Wallonia has followed three main axes to protect the health of local residents, explained Céline Tellier. The first: oblige companies to reduce their polluting emissions by revising all the environmental permits of the crushers concerned. “These are the strictest standards in Europe.”
Second axis: “We carried out a study on the characterization of the flows which entered the crusher chimney flows to ultimately better sort and avoid what might produce contamination peaks.” The minister clarified that the risks linked to PCBs do not come from inhalation but from ingestion. “It is by eating contaminated soil that the risk exists”, which is why the Walloon region has formulated a series of recommendations for the population. At the same time, the teams under the orders of Minister Tellier carried out “human biomonitoring”.
Third axis: “An in-depth environmental assessment”. The Walloon region has set up ZIPs, assured the environmentalist.
These three axes have enabled “a significant reduction in channeled emissions of around 72 to 95% depending on the crushers”.
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It was only following this preamble that the Minister of the Environment answered the question that everyone was asking: why did you change the categorization of values not to be exceeded, moving them from binding to indicative? Because the technical tool for controlling the values is not yet precise enough and it can be open to attack.
”For legal security issues. Monitoring is currently carried out using Owen gauges, cans topped with a funnel which collect atmospheric data and which are placed in certain locations on the site or near the site. These data are subject to laboratory analyzes to determine the concentrations of different organic pollutants. The problem is that these cans will collect all kinds of dust and are absolutely not selective. It is very easy for a company to take legal action in relation to such a tool for which the public authority would not be absolutely able to prove that the source of these pollutants is directly the crusher.”
Answers which do not seem to have satisfied the deputies. “We have to know where we are going,” snapped Nicolas Tzanetatos. “No one is fooled by what motivates certain words,” concluded Christophe Clersy (Ecolo), implying that the criticisms leveled once morest Minister Ecolo were only aimed at electoral interests.
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