The Flemish government has to reconsider the permit for the operation and expansion of the Silvamo landfill in Kortemark following a ruling by the Council for Permit Disputes, annulling its previous decision.
The Council had already overturned an earlier permit, after which the Flemish government reissued approval for the landfill. However, local residents and the Kortemark municipality once again appealed the decision, and the Council sided with both parties in their objections.
Residents and environmental organisations argue that the PFAS-contaminated soil being deposited at the site poses a threat to local water quality. The Council concluded that there was no evidence to suggest the landfill’s wastewater negatively impacts the Speyebeek or Hanzamevaart waterways.
However, the Council agreed with the appellants that a crucial environmental condition was missing: no specific measures are in place to regulate the storage of PFAS-contaminated soil. “The case file and the contested decision show that this is a vital condition to reduce risks of soil, groundwater, and surface water contamination with PFAS. Nonetheless, the imposed environmental condition fails to provide sufficient guarantees,” the Council stated.
The Flemish government now has six months to re-evaluate the permit application, taking the Council’s ruling into account. In the meantime, the landfill is allowed to continue operating for another six months.
