A recent study by Aries Consultants, conducted as part of the renewal of Brussels-Charleroi Airport’s operating permit, has revealed “alarming” concentrations of PFAS forever chemicals in the Tic-Tic stream, a nearby waterway, as highlighted by the Ecolo party on Saturday.
The Tic-Tic stream flows south of the airport through residential areas before joining the Lodelinsart stream, a tributary of the Sambre River, according to Ecolo. These waters have unfortunately been used for discharging domestic wastewater from the airport for several years and are then directed to a downstream purification station. The measured PFAS levels in the stream are seven times higher than the limits set by the European Union.
“After the contamination of the Tintia stream, another watercourse near the airport now shows significant PFAS pollution. It is inconceivable that the airport’s requested permit could be granted while considerable evidence suggests that substantial pollution persists in this area,” lamented Ecolo MP Bénédicte Linard.
In light of this situation, Ecolo is calling for appropriate health measures for residents and farmers, as well as transparent communication on the matter. “It is crucial that the polluter pays principle is enforced and that the responsibility for this pollution is clearly identified and assumed,” added Linard, who plans to question Walloon Environment Minister Yves Coppieters about the issue in the regional parliament.
In mid-February, Coppieters had already assured that “numerous actions were planned to improve the quality of the airport’s discharges.”
