The Supreme Health Council advocates banning night flights at Brussels Airport. The advisory body made this recommendation on Tuesday, after analyzing existing studies on the health effects of noise pollution and air pollution from aircraft. According to the Supreme Health Council, at least 160,000 local residents are at increased risk of negative health effects, such as disturbed sleep, reduced lung function and changes in heart rhythm.
At the end of March, Flemish Minister of the Environment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) approved the new environmental permit for airport operator Brussels Airport Company. According to Demir, the permit offers a balance between the economic interests of the airport and the quality of life for the surrounding area. A complete ban on night flights is not included in the permit.
The Superior Health Council wants to abolish those night flights, he writes in a new advice. The council was asked a year and a half ago by the federal government to formulate advice on the extent to which Brussels Airport influences the health of local residents. That work is now done.
“Every year, scientific evidence for the harmful effects of noise grows,” the council writes. “Noise pollution leads to feelings of irritation and sleep problems. Research also shows that it is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, slowing down the learning process in school children and a negative impact on mental well-being, increasing the risk of depression.”
The Health Council also examined air pollution caused by aircraft. “Several studies show that the emission of ultra-fine particles, characteristic of aircraft, mainly leads to reduced lung function and changes in heart rhythm in the short term,” the council states. “In the long term, there is a connection with more cardiovascular disease, but also with negative birth outcomes such as lower birth weight.”
To combat the negative health effects, the Superior Health Council advocates banning flights between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The Council also proposes to develop additional noise indicators that take into account how often aircraft fly over and how loud they are during each overflight, instead of looking at average noise levels. The council also wants to see the concentration of flights in the early morning and evening reduced. “In general, an increase in the number of flights and their frequency is not desirable,” the Council advises.
“There is no future for an airport in this densely populated region, which only thrives on important nighttime activity,” concludes Federal Minister for Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit), who is in favor of a “gradual, realistic but systematic reduction of night flights” , whereby flights with the noisiest aircraft are stopped first. “You have to let people sleep at night,” the minister added.
Vandenbroucke further points out that broad socio-economic consultation is needed about airport activities. “This nocturnal activity also involves employment, often for low-skilled people for whom jobs are not within reach. Work and health must be balanced. Achieving this balance will be a crucial task for the next federal and Flemish government .”
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Tags: Supreme Health Council calls ban night flights Brussels Airport
