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Pollution
Pollution affects both human beings and nature. In Belgium, we immediately think of air pollution from fine particles and nitrogen, poor water quality due to nitrate, pesticides, and heavy metals, and pollution by PFAS. For people, pollution results in a decrease in healthy life years and overall quality of life. Furthermore, this pollution also threatens our natural environment. That is why we are fighting against air, water and soil pollution, and working for a healthy environment in which nature and human beings can flourish together.
Our legal actions
01. The nitrates case
Flanders is
not doing enough to protect water quality.
In July
2022, we therefore took legal action, together with three other environmental
associations, to demand that the Flemish government take additional measures to
improve water quality.
The court ruled in our favour: Flanders is not taking sufficient measures to protect
water quality.
This
inaction is having a serious impact on the environment, damaging our health and
biodiversity. The Flemish
government was forced to adopt additional measures within six months, which it
failed to do. As a result, in June 2024, it was ordered to pay a penalty.
In January 2025, the European Commission also brought Belgium before the Court of Justice of the European Union for its inadequate nitrate policy in Flanders.
02. The pesticides case
Together
with Natuurpunt, Bond Beter Leefmilieu, WWF and Velt, we took the Flemish
government to court in the pesticide case.
We believe
that human beings and nature are not sufficiently protected against the harmful
effects of pesticides.
We are
calling for:
- an
assessment of the effects of pesticide use in or near nature areas,
- better
protection of water catchment areas and nature reserves, and
- the
creation of buffer zones around watercourses, nature areas, nurseries, schools
and homes.
03.Appeal against biomass power plant Visé
In collaboration with a dozen other associations, we lodged an appeal against the permit issued for the construction of a biomass power plant in Visé.
This plant, operated by Bee Green, causes nitrogen deposits on nature reserves in Wallonia, Flanders and the Netherlands. These reserves are already in a worrying state of deterioration.
This ruling could become the first judgement on the issue of nitrogen in Wallonia. It would set a real precedent.