The Federal Council of Ministers has given the green light for the purchase of a new explosion chamber. This must allow the Explosive Device Clearance and Destruction Service (DOVO) to render toxic munitions harmless.
The installation will be located in Poelkapelle in West Flanders. It is no coincidence that the explosion chamber is located in the Westhoek, the main battlefield of the First World War in our country. The deminers still discover about 9,000 shells every year, good for 150 to 200 tons of ammunition. Five to ten percent of that ammunition contains toxic substances.
A cost has not been communicated, but according to the newspaper ‘La Libre Belgique’ it would be 23.57 million euros. There is also a maintenance contract for a budget of 4.81 million euros for the period from 2026 to 2030.
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