For the first time, the Brussels environment agency is taking legal action against airlines that overfly Brussels and do not comply with noise standards. In May 63 official reports were drawn up. Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe is one of the municipalities where noise pollution is most acute.
In 2017, the regional environment minister placed a noise meter on the roof of the municipal social services offices to get a better view of the problem. It showed that the number of aircraft overflying Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe is increasing, with violations occurring on 28 percent of flights.
Almost exclusively violations occur between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. In May of this year, the Brussels environment agency took legal action for the first time. A total of 63 official reports were drawn up.
Olivier Maingain is the mayor of Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe: "It took 7 years before Brussels Environment finally agreed to prosecute the airlines that overfly the municipality in violation of noise standards."
Appeal against Zaventem permit
Residents of Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe have long been complaining about the noise of planes that overfly their municipality. Earlier this year, the municipality appealed against the new permit the Flemish authorities issued for Brussels Airport in Zaventem (Flemish Brabant).
According to the municipal authorities, the residents of Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe are overflown by some 45 percent of the planes taking off from Zaventem. In 2023 this involved more than 32,000 planes. A petition launched by the municipality has since collected more than 4,000 signatures from residents. It urges the federal government to find solutions to the noise pollution problem in Brussels.