- Today, 21 January 2025, INEOS Aromatics was granted a re-permit for its chemical activities at Geel.
- This new tightened permit follows a series of objections from the environmental movement.
- By constructively sitting around the table, Bond Beter Leefmilieu, Natuurpunt and Ineos Aromatics arrived at a common position and a top-class environmental permit application.
From ruling to resolution
Following the Council for Permit Disputes’ ruling of 22 August 2024, which annulled Ineos Aromatics' permit, Natuurpunt, BBL and the international management of INEOS Aromatics entered into a dialogue on the permit. The aim: to bring the cobalt discharge in line with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, thus protecting the Grote Nete.
The dialogue illustrates that progress is possible when industry and environmental organisations recognise each other's interests. For example, Ineos Aromatics' permit application was amended with the aim to approve the quality of the river. At the same time, the environmental movement realises that implementing the latest technologies for water treatment is a long-term entreprise.
By investing heavily in an additional cobalt treatment plant, INEOS Aromatics is reducing the discharge of cobalt emissions into the Grote Nete by 90% by 2027. They base this on a Best Available Techniques study and are converting the recommendations into a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system. These investments clearly demonstrate a genuine commitment from INEOS Aromatics to improve the water quality of the Grote Nete as soon as possible. Furthermore, the company is committed to continuing the improvement process after the construction and commissioning of the new water treatment plant by immediately starting new research into further reducing cobalt emissions from the waste water that will leave the new water treatment plant from 2027 onwards. Such a research and development process will allow the company to subsequently implement discharge standards on an operational scale that will go a long way towards achieving the environmental quality standard.
Rodney Stobbs (INEOS Aromatics):
INEOS is pleased that the new permit application for the INEOS Aromatics site in Geel has been well received with across-the-board favourable and conditionally favourable advices from the administrative agencies involved and the GOVC (regional environmental permit commission), which were confirmed in the decision of the Minister for Environment. We are extremely pleased that as a result of a constructive dialogue the environmental organisations also recognised the efforts for our improvement process of the discharged water quality.
Robin Verachtert (Natuurpunt):
Along the Grote Nete, where INEOS Aromatics operates, Natuurpunt has long been working on robust nature. We want to use our nature areas even more as life-sized ‘sponges’ to catch river water during periods of flooding. However, substandard water quality is disabling this. INEOS Aromatics is taking responsibility and setting a new standard for all companies discharging wastewater into our rivers. The techniques exist, and INEOS Aromatics is showing that companies are also willing to invest in them and can take a leading role.
INEOS has agreed to the inclusion of a special condition in its permit whereby a monitoring committee consisting of the government agencies AGOP, VMM and ANB will assess the progress of further research on an annual basis. Upon INEOS' suggestion, BBL and Natuurpunt will also be invited to participate in this annual consultation. BBL, Natuurpunt and INEOS Aromatics hope their dialogue and the jointly supported solution can inspire other companies.
Only ambitious water policy provides certainty
Yet this is not the end of the matter. There is also a task for the Flemish government. Today, our country lacks a clear and effective permit policy; the European Commission's recent infringement procedure rightly states that periodic evaluations of permits for point source discharges are too sporadic.
A clear and legally robust strategy is needed to restore water quality, which remains dramatic in Flanders, as soon as possible. How the government will deal with the 2027 deadline of the Water Framework Directive remains unclear. This legal ambiguity threatens not only water quality but also the legal certainty of companies.
Inès Martin (Bond Beter Leefmilieu):
"The steps taken by INEOS are a fine example of how things can be done differently, from which the whole sector can learn. Now the Flemish government must also take responsibility and work on targeted and periodic evaluations, so that permits can be revised in time. There is also a need for a clear definition of 'deterioration' under the Water Framework Directive, and a Flemish strategy to bring water quality to healthy levels as soon as possible. With the creation of new river basin management plans, the Flemish government must now work at full speed to get to work on clean waterways and robust permits for companies."