News item | 21-10-2022 | 15:30
The cabinet is extending the reimbursement of costs for cleaning up after drug waste has been dumped for private individuals and governments. Criminals often discharge toxic substances released during the production of synthetic drugs along public roads or in nature reserves. This results in major damage to the soil, groundwater and landowners. The basic principle is and remains that the polluter pays. But perpetrators of illegal dumping are often difficult to trace. Innocent citizens should not be the victims of this and should not be left with high clean-up costs.
That is what Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius of Justice and Security, also on behalf of State Secretary Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management, wrote to the House of Representatives today. Under the current scheme, private individuals are fully reimbursed for the costs of cleaning up drug waste up to a maximum amount of 25,000 euros. Municipalities, provinces and water boards are now reimbursed half of the costs up to an amount of 25,000 euros. This arrangement is sufficient for most dumping, but sometimes the costs are a lot higher. The ministers want to prevent distressing situations from arising as a result. For example, whether an innocent private individual has to pay a large bill out of his own pocket, or whether there is insufficient money and the environment is the victim.
“Drug waste disposal clearly demonstrates the toxic effect of organized crime on our society. Criminals dump their drug waste because they only want to make as much profit as possible. They do so on the backs of innocent civilians, nature and at the expense of our safety. That is why we not only roll up drug labs, but also deal with the consequences,” said Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.
State Secretary Heijnen: “Drug dumping is antisocial behavior that is at the expense of innocent people and the environment. It sucks that we have to clean up the mess of criminals with tax money, but it is necessary. Drug dumping is dangerous for people and also for the environment. In the event of major dumping, even drinking water extraction can be endangered, and we do not want that.”
Expansion of existing scheme
The twelve provinces implement the subsidy scheme and the date on which the extension takes effect may differ slightly from one province to the next. The provinces will communicate about the subsidy and the application form in the first quarter of 2023. The extended regulation will come into effect after communication in that province:
- Individuals will be fully reimbursed up to a maximum of 200,000 euros.
- Local authorities will be reimbursed half of the costs up to an amount of 50,000 euros. Any additional costs will be fully reimbursed up to a maximum of 200,000 euros.
- For victims who had to deal with drug waste dumping under the old subsidy scheme in 2021 and 2022 and who would receive a higher compensation under the new scheme, it is being examined whether they can submit an additional application with retroactive effect.
Tailor-made mega dumpings
For three exceptional cases involving large-scale soil damage and groundwater pollution in North Brabant, the costs also amply exceed the ceiling of the extended subsidy scheme. In these cases, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, in collaboration with the parties involved, finances the costs to enable faster remediation. Where there is a responsible party in the picture, the costs incurred by the government will be recovered. This concerns the three mega-dumpings in the province of North Brabant: Brabantse Wal/Halsteren, Neerkant/Deurne and Zundert. These mega-dumpings were also a reason for the House of Representatives to press for a new, broader regulation. If the national government did not intervene here together with the province of Noord-Brabant, major damage to the environment and the spread of chemical substances via the groundwater could be lurking. This situation is avoided.
New Government Regulations
Work is currently underway on a new structural government scheme for clearing drug waste. The plan is to have it come into effect on 1 January 2025 as a replacement for the current subsidy scheme. The new scheme is being drawn up in consultation with the Interprovincial Consultation (IPO), the Union of Water Boards (UvW), the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) and two parties with a great deal of practical experience: the province of Noord-Brabant and the BIJ12 implementing organization of the joint provinces. .
The replacement central government scheme will broadly correspond to the current scheme, which will now be expanded first. The new government regulation also takes mega-dumping into account, so that customization will no longer be necessary. The clean-up costs at drug labs found are also included in the new scheme. And knowledge and expertise about drug labs and the discharge of drug waste are further exchanged in order to improve the approach.