The foundations had argued that the top layer of the sand used contained too high concentrations of PFAS. This category includes chemicals that are barely degradable and are harmful to people and the environment after a certain exposure. A specialized company had taken several samples. In some of these, higher concentrations were found than permitted by law. Other samples, on the other hand, contain significantly lower concentrations of PFAS than may. Specifically, it concerned the substance PFOS.
The province of Noord-Holland refused to comply with the organizations’ request to intervene. A correct decision, the Supreme Administrative Court now judges. The sand was mixed and the provincial government has “made it sufficiently plausible” that it could not be expected that the batch of sand as a whole would not meet the standards after that mixing.
In the area around the circuit, the PFOS values are already slightly higher than elsewhere. Therefore, according to the administrative court, it is not plausible that the construction of the fan zone has led to more pollution. According to the judges, this can no longer be established with an investigation afterwards.
Previous case already lost
At the beginning of this month, nature organizations also lost a case about the circuit. It was directed against the nature permit. They wanted the judge to declare it invalid, but that request was also rejected. In a so-called substantive procedure, the case about the nature permit will be further explored.
There has been a legal battle over the Zandvoort circuit for years. The race track is located in a dune area that has largely protected Natura 2000 status. Nature organizations are disturbed, among other things, by the emission of nitrogen oxides and other harmful substances by the cars of drivers and visitors and by the sounds of, for example, roaring engines. When the track was rebuilt, they tried to stop it by pointing out that the habitat of protected species like the natterjack toad and the sand lizard would be affected. That attempt also failed in court.