The environmental permit for the billion-dollar Ineos Project ONE has been reinstated and work at Europe’s largest chemical project in 20 years can restart.
Originally receiving its environmental permit from the Flemish government in 2022, the plant at the port of Antwerp will convert ethane into ethylene, one of the basic raw materials for plastic production. In July 2023, the permit for Ineos Project ONE was revoked on environmental grounds.
14 associations submitted an annulment appeal, pointing to the possible environmental and climate risks of the project. ClientEarth, one of the associations appealing the project, said the plant should never have been given the go-ahead by authorities. It added that the permit infringes EU environmental regulations and will adversely affect the climate, air quality and human health, as well as protected natural areas.
Separately, the permit was challenged by the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland; the province of North Brabant said the Ineos project has been licensed without the effects of the additional nitrogen deposition having been sufficiently investigated. A particular concern for North Brabant is to preserve the nature reserve Brabantse Wal from further nitrogen damage.
In October 2023, Ineos Olefins Belgium submitted a request to amend the permit application to the Council for Permit Disputes. The company said it thoroughly addressed the council’s comments in non-evident circumstances, and on January 7, 2024, the environmental permit was reconfirmed on appeal.
John McNally, ceo of Ineos Project ONE, stated: “We thank minister Demir for her decision. The pandemic and the energy crisis have demonstrated Europe’s vulnerability in terms of industrial building blocks. Strategic autonomy is therefore central to the European Commission’s vision. Project ONE is at the beginning of this value chain. It anchors the local processing of essential building blocks, such as ethylene, thus contributing to the resilience and sustainability of Europe’s industrial foundations. With the realisation of Project ONE, Flanders and the port of Antwerp can play a role in making European industry more sustainable.”
