6 months Ago
National Asbestos Removal Plan Fails to Gain Momentum
The Netherlands still has around 400,000 buildings with asbestos-containing roofs, covering approximately 74 million square meters. Each year, over 1,100 people die from asbestos-related cancers. In 2021, a national fund was launched to help low-income households replace asbestos roofs, offering loans at interest rates between 2% and 2.5%. However, in two years, the program issued only twelve loans, and most of its €9 million budget remained unused.
State Secretary Chris Jansen recently informed the Dutch Parliament that the scheme is being revamped. The loan program is now open to all homeowners, with half the roof replacement cost covered by the national government and the rest expected from municipalities. A public awareness campaign has also been launched. Still, critics argue that the plan remains too complex and insufficiently funded to drive real change.
Almere Leads With Direct, Cost-Free Solution
Frustrated by the slow national progress, Almere's city council approved a €2.2 million plan to remove asbestos roofs from 1,000 small structures, such as sheds and carports, by the end of 2026. Residents will not be charged for the cleanup. Additional subsidies will help remove asbestos roofs from 100 to 150 homes.
David de Vreede, a technical advisor at the Expertise Centrum Asbest & Vezels (ECAV) and city councilor, emphasized the urgency: "Residents won't pay anything… This is the only way to guarantee results." He criticized the national effort as lacking political will and leadership, noting that many homes with asbestos roofs were once owned by housing corporations and later sold off, leaving residents to deal with the issue.
Health Risks Remain Severe
Asbestos poses long-term health dangers. TNO estimates that deteriorating roofs release 90 million grams of asbestos annually, with up to 2 billion fibers per gram becoming airborne. These fibers can be inhaled, causing diseases that may take decades to develop. TNO projects that between now and 2050, another 15,800 people in the Netherlands could die from asbestos-related illnesses.
The national plan to ban asbestos roofs was scrapped in 2022, leaving only a voluntary goal to eliminate them by 2030. However, experts and homeowner groups like Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH) argue that more decisive government action is essential. According to VEH, cleanup efforts often stall due to legal issues involving shared property boundaries, leaving many homeowners powerless without cooperative neighbors.
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