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Belgium desires London to present explanations over uncooked sewage dumped within the English Channel and North Sea, becoming a member of France in elevating considerations over the potential menace to well being and marine life.
“On no account ought to the discharge have an effect on the waters or marine surroundings of [EU] member states,” Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgium’s minister in control of the North Sea, advised POLITICO on Saturday.
“I’ve requested my providers to look into this additional and to contact the related U.Ok. administrations about this.”
Van Quickenborne added that though the U.Ok. is now not certain by EU environmental rules as a consequence of Brexit, it has to take the required measures to restrict the affect of sewage leaks on the marine surroundings.
The Belgian minister’s response echoes calls to the European Fee for authorized and political motion from MEPs of French President Emmanuel Macron’s celebration. They warn that within the brief time period, the leaks may injury bathing waters on the French coast and hurt marine biodiversity.
Belgium’s North Sea minister stated that the dumping to date hasn’t had an affect on Belgian waters.
“For the second, there’s certainly no motive to fret,” Van Quickenborne stated, earlier than emphasizing that the competent Belgian providers will contact U.Ok. providers with a purpose to get additional particulars.
The complaints come after air pollution warnings have been issued over the summer time for 50 seashores in England and Wales after heavy rain brought about sewage overflow to be diverted from overloaded drains into rivers and the ocean.
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