Province of Antwerp issues environmental permit for Ineos ethane cracker

The province of Antwerp has approved the new environmental permit for the ethane cracker that Ineos is building in the city's port, it was announced on Thursday. Objectors have 30 days to lodge an appeal against the project, known as Project One.

The project has had a turbulent history since the Flemish Council for Permit Disputes annulled the environmental permit in 2023. The decision was based on an appeal by the Dutch province of North Brabant, which argued that Flanders had not properly investigated the impact of nitrogen emissions on the surrounding nature.

After a crisis that almost brought down the previous Flemish government, former Environment minister Zuhal Demir issued a new conditional permit in January 2024. A final permit for the ethane cracker was issued at the end of July.

New permit application

Despite this, the British chemical group applied for a separate, new environmental permit last October. Ineos said it wanted to "anticipate new, dynamic legislation".

According to the company, it was mainly a matter of building in legal certainty, especially given the legal challenges the project is facing from environmental organisations and the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland.

But Project One seems to be moving in the right direction. After a round of mediation last November, Flemish officials reached a preliminary agreement with North Brabant and Zeeland to suspend their legal proceedings.

'No damage to nature'

Thursday's approval of Ineos' application by the province of Antwerp is another positive step for the British chemical giant. First deputy Luk Lemmens said Ineos' application met all legal and environmental requirements. "There is no damage to nature," he said on Thursday. "And within 10 years the plant has to be climate neutral."

Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Ineos seems confident about the future of the project. It has invested 3 billion euros in Project One, and its total cost of 4 billion euros makes it the largest investment in the European chemicals sector in the past 25 years.

Meanwhile, construction continues at the port. On Wednesday, the first two furnaces arrived in Antwerp. The shipment weighed 6,000 tonnes and was more than 60m high. Sixteen more deliveries are expected this year.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS / BELGA VIDEO HAND OUT INEOS}