BRUSSELS – Belgium has pledged to end the practice of illegal tyre dumping, a phenomenon that casues serious environmental damage across the country.

In Belgium’s French-speaking Wallon region alone, the authorities doscovered  97 separate illegal tyre dumps last year. If tyres are not disposed of properly they can pollute the local soil and water.

Under new rules, all tyre depots in Belgium must respect strict environmental standards. Depot owners whose facilities do not come up to scratch will face heavy fines, authorities have warned.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Belgian news