The College of the Mayor and Aldermen in Schaerbeek wishes to tighten respect for Brussels noise pollution standards for planes flying over the capital. On Tuesday, it sent a letter in this vain to the Brussels Minister for the Environment Céline Fremault (of the francophone Christian Democratic party).
Like the districts of Evere, of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Schaerbeek endures the noise consequences of planes turning left after taking off from the national airport when departing from the main runway.
The Liberal alderman Bernard Guillaume and the Mayor Bernard Clerfayt (Democratic Federalist Independent party), say that the so-called “city of fools” has, up to now, waited in vain for the federal minister to implement structural solutions, which are likely to resolve this problem.
In addition, from June 13th this year, when a European regulation comes into force, it will have the effect of freezing the situation in mid-air. It will be difficult for the region and various Brussels districts to demand that the federal government implements the measures, that were, once again, raised in the motion of the conference of the Mayor and Aldermen last October. This aimed, in particular, to limit night flights and make densely populated areas “no-fly zones”.
In this context, the district of Schaerbeek, is requesting the minister Céline Fremault to exercise a zero tolerance policy with regard to airlines infringing noise pollution standards. In the district's eyes, it is high time that the Brussels government terminates the open-ended period of adjustment since 1999. This should reduce noise pollution levels from higher than five decibels to those expected by the noise regulations. It is all the more necessary since technological developments have made the construction of more powerful aviation beasts possible.
Schaerbeek also wants the noise regulations to be supplemented with an express coercive provision, taking account of noise pollution frequency.
(Source: Belga)
