Schiphol can expand PFAS storage; New pier construction €400 mil. over budget

Despite hundreds of objections from locals, Schiphol Airport can continue to expand its storage of PFAS-contaiminated soil at Badhovedorp. The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has given the green light for a fourth storage location, NH reported. The airport may soon also have to increase its port charges to cover extra costs in constructing the new A-pier. Construction is about 400 million euros over budget, sources told the Telegraaf.

Schiphol already stores around 200,000 tons of PFAS-contaminated soil at three locations in Badhoevedorp, according to NH. Haarlemmermeer recently gave the go-ahead for the airport to take a fourth location into use despite complaints from around 600 locals.

PFAS stands for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances. It is a collective name for thousands of manmade, non-degradable chemicals used since the 1950s in things like non-stick coatings on pans, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foam. Schiphol's PFAS contamination comes from the firefighting foam that was used at the airport for years. PFAS are generally toxic and accumulate in the food chain. They can affect the immune system, and some types are carcinogenic with long-term exposure.

According to Schiphol, Haarlemmermeer, and the Environment Agency, various studies have shown that the airport’s PFAS storage locations near Badhoevedorp do not contain harmful concentrations of the substances. Locals are not convinced. “When the wind blows, we see the dust particles blowing up, when it rains, we see the mud flowing into the adjacent ditch. And all this while you claim that the storage is safe,” Flip Bruhl, a Badhoevedorp resident and former family doctor, said at a previous meeting for locals.

A-pier construction over budget

Two weeks ago, Schiphol’s supervisory board and directors decided to take out a loan of 400 million euros to pay for the overrun construction of the new A-pier, insiders told the Telegraaf. According to the newspaper’s sources, partly as a result of this new loan, the airport will increase its port charges by 50 to 60 percent next year.

A spokesperson for the airport told the Telegraaf that Schiphol is currently negotiating next year’s port charges with the airlines without confirming that the loan had anything to do with it. “We have already said before that a significant increase in the new port charges is realistic. Quality has a price. So do better service and facilities.”

If the rumored increase proves correct, KLM’s port charges will rise from around 400 million euros last year to between 600 and 700 million euros next year. That will result in higher airfare, a source told the newspaper. “An airline like KLM can only tolerate this through higher ticket prices. Their profits melt away because of this increase. In a few years, Schiphol will be a very expensive airport, which will mean that flying will become significantly more expensive for consumers,” the source said.