Despite the concerns that the province of Brabant has about Zinkfabriek Nyrstar in Pelt (Belgium), the provincial government will not take any further steps. The factory recently received a new permit for discharging chemicals, which eventually ended up in the Dommel River.
Nyrstar’s environmental permit was extended to the end of 2027, but with stricter requirements. “According to the favorable advice, the new permit will lead to a limited improvement compared to the current situation, whereby the impact on protected habitats and species is decreasing,” the province of Belgian-Limburg reported when extending the permit. In addition, it is being investigated ‘which additional measures are possible to structurally reduce the impact on water quality and biodiversity in and around the Dommel’.
The province of Brabant was against a new permit, because the discharges would endanger the recovery of water life and nature. Legal steps were considered, but the province announced on Tuesday that they will not take them.
“We share the worries, but at the moment we consider it more effective to focus attention on strengthening cooperation with Flemish governments,” the province writes.
De Dommel Water Board does appeal against the permit granted. “We believe that the Flemish minister did not look carefully at our objections,” says a spokeswoman for the water board. “This tightened permit is a step in the right direction, but not large enough.”