Belgium has been a hub for the export to certain African countries of fuels banned in Europe because of their toxicity to health and the environment.

On Friday, May 24, reports stated that the Belgian government had banned the export of fuels to certain West and Central African countries. These fuels are deemed toxic to health and the environment due to their high sulfur, benzene, and manganese content. The targeted fuels can contain up to 1,500 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur, which is 150 times the European limit of 10 ppm.

Belgium's Environment Minister Zakia Khattabi said the measure is taken to stop oil companies and traders from using the Port of Antwerp to export these toxic fuels banned in Europe.

“For far too long, toxic fuels have been departing from Belgium to destinations including Africa. They cause extremely poor air quality in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon and are even carcinogenic,” said the minister.

The ban, which takes effect in three months, is part of a royal decree aimed at improving the quality of fuels exported from Europe, particularly from Belgium, by limiting the carcinogenic risks associated with these products.

“With this royal decree, we now ensure that products that are not allowed in Europe due to their harmfulness are also prohibited for export. This way, we protect the health of people worldwide,” said Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health. This follows a similar measure taken by the Netherlands.

The export of these low-quality petroleum products became a scandal in 2016 when the Swiss NGO Public Eye published an investigation showing “How Swiss traders flood Africa with toxic fuels,” which are profitable to produce.