Phase 2 of Tessenderlo-Ham Grote Laak Cleanup Nears Completion

Tessenderlo-Ham (Eurotoday) – The second phase of the Grote Laak river cleanup, located near the border of Tessenderlo-Ham and Laakdal, is nearing completion. Spearheaded by Nik Dezillie of the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), the project aims to fully restore the contaminated river by 2027.

According to VRT News, this stage of the cleanup has focused on the region in Limburg province, Belgium, along the Tessenderlo-Ham and Laakdal border. The initiative includes the planting of trees and revitalizing biodiversity along the riverbanks by encouraging the return of native plants and wildlife.

The environmental restoration will continue into the autumn, with further cleanup efforts planned. As part of the next phase, VMM will remove and relocate polluted soil and other hazardous materials. These contaminants will be transported to a specially designated storage site at Kepkensberg, which is managed by the Tessenderlo Group.

At this site, the materials will be securely stored and formed into a landscaped hill, covered to ensure they do not pose future environmental risks.

How is the Grote Laak river cleanup progressing?

The Flemish Environment Agency is preparing the next cleanup phase, targeting sub-area 4 in the second half of 2025—specifically after July 15, when the regional bird breeding season concludes. This section of the river lies near the confluence of the Laak and Grote Nete rivers, between Laakdal and Geel.

This phase is anticipated to take approximately a year. Following its completion, VMM will begin work on sub-area 3, located within the Tessenderlo-Ham region. This final stage will span from 2026 to 2027, culminating in the full cleanup of the Grote Laak river system.

Officials emphasized that this long-term project will remediate decades of pollution and restore ecological health to the river and its surroundings—a major environmental accomplishment for the region.

The extensive contamination of the Grote Laak river was largely caused by industrial waste discharged by the Tessenderlo Group, primarily before the 1990s. Heavy metal pollutants severely impacted the river and nearby lands. Since then, the company has significantly reduced its emissions, and restoration efforts have been steadily underway since 2021.

The project comprises four phases. The initial phase began in Ham and focused on the pollution source. Completed in 2022, it involved the removal of contaminated soil, bank restoration, and improvements to water quality to support aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Phase two, launched in September 2023, targeted the border area between Tessenderlo-Ham and Laakdal. This phase involved soil removal, backfilling, and ecological restoration. Despite delays caused by unusually wet weather in 2023, the project picked up pace in early 2024 and successfully completed the remediation of the second sub-area by the end of June 2024.

Officials noted that the project is vital for safeguarding the region’s environmental health and preventing further harm from legacy pollution.

“We reconnected 12 old meanders to the main course, with which we want to give the watercourse an ecological boost,”

explained Nik Dezillie of the Flemish Environment Agency.

“The old meanders were still owned by the municipalities of Tessenderlo-Ham and Laakdal. They agreed that we would reconnect those old meanders if the farmers agreed. And that worked.”