Envirolead has been granted a permit by the Walloon region for a battery and lead recycling plant in Ghlin, at a cost of €30 million. However, farmers and local residents have objected to the project and have lodged a complaint with the Council of State to cancel it. The planned site will cover 20,000 m² and handle 150,000 tonnes of batteries and lead waste from across Europe. This has raised concerns among residents due to potential heavy metal emissions, such as one ton of lead and 170 kg of cadmium, arsenic, and other metals into the atmosphere each year. Envirolead has stressed the compliance of the plant with strict standards, assuring locals that the recycling plant is necessary to produce lead products. The decision of the Council of State is expected to be announced within the next few weeks.
A battery and lead recycling plant could well be set up in Ghlin, for a budget of 30 million euros. The Walloon region has granted the permit to Envirolead, the company in charge of the project, but this does not convince local residents. Farmers and neighboring residents have seized the Council of State to cancel the project.
20,000 m2 for 150,000 tonnes of batteries and lead waste from Europe. Less than 3 km away, a recent residential area where Gérald lives. Heavy metals worry him: “There will be emissions of this type, such as one ton of lead in the atmosphere per year, 170 kg of cadmium, arsenic and many other heavy metals. We don’t want it here.“, explains the local resident.
Determined local residents, Envirolead reassures
These incidence values are those of the worst-case scenario. For Antoine, a farmer, the concern is about the state of the soil, the air and the water. “We will import here all the waste from neighbors such as France, the Netherlands or Germany. So no, it has no interest in our region.“. But for Envirolead, it makes sense. The company understands the fears, but stresses compliance with strict standards 850 m from the first habitation. “We believe that we need a lead manufacturing plant, our objective is to produce lead products. But the smartest way to do it is to recycle the batteries.“, explains François Hanton, Envirolead project manager.
This Tuesday, residents expressed their disagreement during the municipal council of Mons. The region has given its agreement, but the local authorities will request additional studies. “The plant is located on the edge of the region’s only green lung“, specifies Gérald. But for François Hanton: “Of course you have to be careful with lead. But it’s something you can control.“.
The decision of the Council of State is expected in several weeks.
In conclusion, the proposed battery and lead recycling plant in Ghlin has caused a stir among local residents who fear the potential health and environmental impacts. While Envirolead, the company behind the project, reassures compliance with strict standards, farmers and neighboring residents have seized the Council of State to cancel the project. The decision is pending, and in the meantime, local authorities will request additional studies. We hope that a solution that satisfies all parties involved can be reached through dialogue and thorough consideration of the potential consequences.