More than 200,000 residents severely affected by Brussels Airport noise pollution
Planes at Brussels Airport are causing severe noise pollution for 220,000 residents, according to a new study by Bond Beter Leefmilieu, the Flemish Federation for a Better Environment. The cost of health damage is said to exceed 1 billion euros a year.
The ENV-ISA study bureau, commissioned by Bond Beter Leefmilieu, has calculated the number of people who suffer health problems as a result of aircraft noise from the airport. Its study shows that 220,000 people are seriously affected by noise every year and that 109,000 residents have their sleep seriously disturbed. More than 50,000 people have a significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure and 2,000 have a significantly increased risk of heart disease.
The agency calculated that sleep disturbance, blood pressure problems and heart disease cost society at least 1 billion euros a year. For each night flight, this means an average of 36,000 euros in health damage. According to Bond Beter Leefmilieu, this is an underestimate as it does not include the cost of medication and hospitalisation.
Quality of life
The organisation is calling on Flemish environment minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) to include a binding path towards low-noise and CO2-neutral operation in the airport's new environmental permit. "The health and quality of life of local residents should be at the centre of this," it said.
"The Brussels Airport Company claims to be strongly committed to sustainability and the quality of life of local residents. In practice, they mainly invest in solar panel parks and the electrification of ground traffic," says spokesperson Jasper Wouters. "But that does not lead to less aircraft noise. And the differentiated take-off and landing fees they levy - where noisy aircraft have to pay more - have never proved effective."
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