Flemish Minister for the Environment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) has sent a bailiff to the Belgian headquarters of the American company 3M and to more than ten individual directors of the company, she announced in the VTM News. They will be provided with more information until October 1, 2021 at the latest.
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After consultation within the Flemish government, Minister Demir takes a formal legal step to ensure that the American company 3M takes its responsibility.
Tonight bailiffs sent a formal notice of default to 3M’s headquarters in Belgium, the Zwijndrecht branch and to more than ten individual directors of the company.
In the coming days, the same will happen across the ocean at 3M’s US headquarters and the directors of parent company 3M Company. Among them are vice president of environmental affairs Rebecca Teeters and CEO Michael Roman. Teeters became Friday questioned in the PFOS committee, but only gave evasive answers.
“After Friday’s hearing, I only think one thing: 3M, what the PFAS are you doing? The Flemish have a right to clarity and all procrastination must stop. By October 1, 3M must come up with resources, ways to tackle the remediation and more information,” clarified Demir in a press release.
She says she wants to put pressure on the company so that the company finally takes responsibility. ‘After talking to 3M for so many months, I can see that there is not even the beginning of a proposal. We want to have all the information, but also want to know how they are going to tackle that pollution and how the costs that have been incurred will be paid,” said the minister in the studio of VTM News.
If the company does not respond to this notice of default, Demir will enter into discussions within the Flemish government and consider initiating proceedings to have the multinational prosecuted under criminal, civil and/or administrative law.
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