A stockpile of contraceptives stored in a warehouse in the Flemish municipality of Geel has reportedly been destroyed by the American development aid agency USAID, on the orders of the White House. However, the Flemish Government refuted this.
The stockpile, worth nearly $10 million, was reportedly destroyed at the request of United States President Donald Trump, the New York Times reports. But nothing has been destroyed, according to the office of Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V).
"The Enforcement Division of the Environment Department conducted on-site inspections this morning and determined that no shipments were sent for incineration," a statement from Brouns' office said.
The NYT quoted a statement from the White House, saying that Trump is "committed to protecting the lives of unborn children worldwide" and the the US Government "will no longer provide abortifacient contraceptives under the guise of foreign aid."
Contraception, not abortion
The stockpile in Geel contains millions of packets of oral contraceptive pills, and hundreds of thousands of implantable and injectable contraceptives – which are all birth control devices, not devices used for abortions.
The statement by Brouns' office, meanwhile, explains that the contraceptives in the stockpile fall under the incineration ban for reusable goods, according to the Flemish Public Waste Agency (OVAM).
"This can only be deviated from through a 'derogation from the incineration ban' approved by the Environment Minister and the payment of a double levy on waste incineration," the office said. "To date, such a derogation has not been requested and therefore not granted."
In July, it was announced that the stockpile was located in Geel, Antwerp. There were calls not to destroy the good, including from the Flemish expertise centre for sexual health Sensoa, and other health organisations. Belgian diplomats also negotiated with the American authorities to prevent the destruction.
