06.11.2021 | Fundamental right
Response to Fundamental Rights opinion piece by Els Van Doesburg in Knack
Dear Els van Doesburg,
Your fundamental right has opinion in Knack in response to the opinion piece by Mieke Schauvliege in the same magazine. We would like to point out to you some untruths that you raise in your article:
The entire PFOS dossier was NOT brought to light by an N-VA minister or any other politician. The PFOS dossier was brought to attention by a citizen activist Thomas Goorden who got his teeth into this dossier, then citizen collectives such as Grondrecht were created and the media did not let go of this subject. Only because of the work of these actors was the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry committee to investigate the mistakes of the past inevitable. We do note that the municipal government of Zwijndrecht had soil samples taken very quickly, their analysis reports date back to the beginning of May. The City of Antwerp only started this a month later. Zwijndrecht also organizes information evenings for its residents and enters into discussions with citizen collectives, something we cannot say of the Antwerp City Council. Yes, it remains deafeningly quiet on the other side of the Scheldt.
If we set out our point of contact on the 3M site and then draw a circle of 5 km, we will indeed end up a serious part in the city centre. More specifically, we will end up very concretely: - halfway along the Meir - past the MAS at the Eilandje - at den Bell past the ZuidWhat you say that the 5 km perimeter only just crosses the Scheldt is therefore completely untrue. We find it extremely disappointing that an Alderman for Healthcare leaves a very large part of his city centre out in the cold. And that you are still displaying incorrect interpretations of the perimeter. A much better attitude would be to also recognise the PFAS pollution as a problem for the city centre and to give residents the opportunity to have their blood tested now. And by the way, the results of the residents of Linkeroever are already available, residents of district 2050 were also examined in the blood test of Grondrecht and the Flemish Government, the general blood results of these people are not good. So act now, acknowledge the recommendations of experts, and give ALL residents within the 5 km perimeter the chance to test their blood too late. Again, the Scheldt does not stop the PFAS pollution.
You say that the soil sample taken 500 m from the city park, more specifically in the botanical garden, does not exceed the soil remediation standard. That is correct. But it is also a great pity that you are testing here with the soil remediation standard that is much less strict than the guideline value of 3 micrograms/kg ds. If we test all soil samples taken on Antwerp territory against the strictest and therefore the healthiest standard, then ALMOST ALL soil samples in Antwerp have been exceeded. The website of the City of Antwerp states that further research is needed for the soil. So here is a legitimate question from us, when will the further results finally be available? It is now more than 4 months later. We are repeating ourselves, but we expect the City of Antwerp to acknowledge the PFAS pollution and to realise that this is also a problem on its territory, where its citizens live, work and reside. We continue to hope that the Antwerp City Council will reach out to us, protect us, stand up for us and inform us correctly.
Kind regards, Grondrecht
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