Key facts
- Environmental NGO ClientEarth has filed a human rights complaint against Belgium with the European Committee of Social Rights.
- The complaint addresses Belgium's alleged failure to protect citizens from significant health risks associated with PFAS pollution.
- Belgium has the highest levels of PFAS contamination in Europe, with major affected sites including Zwijndrecht and Brussels.
- Authorities were reportedly aware of PFAS contamination for years, with some officials informed as early as 2017.
- PFAS are linked to serious health issues, including cancer, metabolic diseases, and fertility problems.
Environmental NGO ClientEarth has filed a human rights complaint against Belgium with the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), alleging the country's authorities have failed to protect citizens from the significant health risks posed by PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals'. Belgium reportedly has the highest levels of PFAS contamination in Europe, with areas like Zwijndrecht and Brussels heavily impacted.
According to ClientEarth, authorities have been aware of the widespread contamination for years, potentially decades, yet have taken insufficient action. Lawyers for the NGO highlighted that public agencies knew about the PFAS issue in Zwijndrecht years before the scandal broke in 2021, with some Flemish government members informed as early as 2017. Discussions between 3M and Flemish agencies regarding PFAS pollution near the plant date back to the early 2000s.
PFAS are a group of over 10,000 man-made chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products for their resistant properties. They have been linked to severe health issues, including certain cancers, metabolic diseases, and fertility problems. The World Health Organization has classified PFOA as carcinogenic and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans. These chemicals persist in the environment and human body for hundreds of years.
ClientEarth chose to file the complaint with the ECSR due to its perceived enforcement power. The NGO aims for the complaint to complement existing legal actions across Europe and to spur concrete changes in Belgium's PFAS regulation, including a ban on all forever chemicals and solutions for affected communities. The ECSR is expected to rule on the complaint's admissibility in 2027, with a final decision anticipated within two to three years.