Asbestos has been discovered in about 400 apartments managed by the Molenbeekse Woningen housing association, the organisation confirmed on its website, following an RTBF report.
Tenants were informed about the issue on Monday. Starting 8 September, officials will call all residents to ensure they have received the information and understand that walls and ceilings must not be damaged, sanded, or drilled into, according to Molenbeek’s housing councillor, Dirk De Block, who chairs the association.
The asbestos was identified during an inventory conducted as part of a modernisation plan for the housing stock. Molenbeekse Woningen, which oversees about 3,500 social housing units, underlined that there is currently no danger to residents. Each affected apartment will be inspected to evaluate potential risks, it said.
“Given the age of some buildings, it would have been surprising not to find any traces of asbestos, a material commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s,” the association stated.
Precautionary measures have been shared through posters, caretakers, a hotline, and a dedicated call centre. Detailed apartment inspections will begin in September. “The findings will be presented at meetings in early November, along with a phased plan for the required renovations based on the scope of the necessary work,” said De Block.
Asbestos is banned due to the severe health risks its fibres pose when inhaled, including respiratory illnesses and cancer. The risk, however, arises only if the material is damaged or handled improperly.
