"Brussels is composed of intensely polluted soil"

The premium budget for the study and treatment of so-called orphan soil pollution in the Brussels Region has been doubled, from 1.5 million euros to 3 million, said Wednesday the Minister of the Environment, Céline Fremault. The Brussels Region will pay 100% of the study costs (instead of 60% or 70% depending on the case) and will intervene more widely than before in the depollution costs.

"Due to its rich industrial past, Brussels is composed of an intensely polluted soil, with an estimated 400 hectares of polluted land remaining, and the regional objective is to treat all of this area by 2029 at the latest, "said Minister CdH in a statement.

The aid for carrying out remediation work is revised upwards: 60,000 euros for legal persons and 90,000 euros for natural persons. Previously, the aid was limited to a ceiling of 33,848 euros for legal entities and 29,617 euros for individuals.

"This new order corrects an injustice: it allows to considerably help financially victims of historic pollution orphan There is indeed no reason for an innocent owner to pay for expensive clean-up work for which he is not responsible ", according to Ms. Fremault.