Photo: MARC HERREMANS – MEDIA HOUSE – / Zwijndrecht / Antwerp – The Antwerp provincial government will not whistle to the Flemish Commission of Inquiry. The fact that 3M will be imposed fairly lenient discharge standards for all kinds of PFAS compounds for about another year is an eye opener. And 3M itself can explain … Read more
Photo: MARC HERREMANS – MEDIA HOUSE – Zwijndrecht – Three separate investigations into the presence of PFAS and PFOS in food products in Zwijndrecht did not reveal any alarming results. Karl Vrancken and the municipality of Zwijndrecht, appointed by Flanders, report this on Friday. The current advice regarding the consumption of your own fruit, vegetables … Read more
Photo: MARC HERREMANS – MEDIA HOUSE – Chemical company 3M, which has been under heavy fire for a few months due to the pollution of PFOS, now also appears to be illegally discharging another toxic substance into the Scheldt. This is apparent from an internal memorandum from the Flemish Department of Care and Health that … Read more
If it depends on Antwerp and Zwijndrecht, their residents who wish to do so should be able to obtain a test for PFOS in the body. That’s what they’re asking now that large amounts of the substance were found from a small sample of citizens’ initiative Fundamental Rights in people near the 3M factory. In … Read more
Zwijndrecht – In Zwijndrecht, the first blood samples were taken from people living near the 3M factory. It measures how much of the chemical PFOS they have in their blood. More than 12,000 local residents are eligible for the survey, but so far only 400 people have registered. Concern was also limited among those who … Read more
Zwijndrecht – Work on the Oosterweel connection may resume, also in the contaminated soil. They were shut down for two weeks by order of the Flemish Minister of Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open VLD), pending the expert report on the PFOS pollution in the vicinity of the 3M factory. The action plan has now been … Read more
Since joining the federal government, Groen had barely made an appearance. And when it was able to embarrass the Flemish government in the PFOS file, the criticism returned like a boomerang to Zwijndrecht, the only municipality where the party supplies the mayor. President Meyrem Almaci does not give up. “It is not correct to target … Read more
Farmers in Zwijndrecht and the surrounding area who sell their products via the so-called short chain are already experiencing major economic damage from the PFOS crisis. This is testified by fruit grower Frans Verhelst, who has a large part of his orchards located just 800 meters from the 3M factory site. “Customers just stay away, … Read more
/ Antwerp – Until recently, hardly anyone knew what it meant, now PFOS rules all the headlines. And Antwerp mayor and N-VA chairman Bart De Wever will have known it. The scandal goes straight to the heart of his Oosterweel connection, for which his party has been fighting for years. “They can ask me anything,” … Read more
Late on Wednesday evening, the Flemish Parliament approved the establishment of a commission of inquiry for the dossier of PFOS pollution in and around Zwijndrecht. It has only happened once before that such a drastic step has been taken at the Flemish level. – Last week, Flemish Minister for the Environment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) called … Read more