Belgium has accused French authorities of a slow response to a leak at a French sugar beet refinery. Large amounts of beat pulp leaked into the river, prompting a frantic attempt by Belgian authorities to save the fish.
Regional governments in Belgium have accused France of not properly warning them of a leak at a sugar beet refinery, one they say killed numerous fish in the Schledt river.
Wallonia, Belgium's French speaking region, said 50-70 tons of fish died in its territory along a 36-kilometer (22-mile) stretch of the river, which flows through Belgium all the way to the port city of Antwerp.
French sugar maker Tereos said a leak had been found on April 9 at its factory in the northern French town of Escadouvres, which led to sugar beet pulp spilling into a tributary of the Schledt. Beet residues are rich in organic matter that can lower oxygen levels in rivers.
While French authorities deployed oxygen pumps, those in Wallonia had little time to act. According to the English-language news outlet Brussels Times, the damage could take two to three years to mend. The regional government has accused France of not properly informing it of the disaster.
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