Expansion of Tielt slaughterhouse will not happen
Debra-Meat in Tielt wants to increase slaughter capacity from 1.5 to 2.4 million pigs per year. The slaughterhouse already had a permit application in its pocket in 2017, but the plan was put on hold when Animal Rights revealed undercover footage of pig abuse at this slaughterhouse.
Animal abuse
The company was convicted of animal abuse in 2019, although Demir formally refused because the company does not take any measures to limit odor nuisance and does not comply with regulations regarding noise and environmental effects, such as the nitrogen problem.
The slaughterhouse received an environmental permit from the provincial government of West Flanders on 10 June 2021, but Gaia, Natuurpunt and the West Flemish Environmental Federation appealed to the minister.
Appeal against appeal
The minister decided in January last year to refuse, but the Tielt company appealed against that decision to the Council for Permit Disputes. Demir is now proved right by the Council.
“In many files it is a very difficult decision, but this application was as clear as day: this expansion is unlicensable. I am pleased that the Council for Permit Disputes confirms this. The expansion will not happen and that seems to me to be the only right decision in all respects,” concludes Demir.