Residents of the Waleweingaarde emergency shelter have been temporarily relocated

This location will be available until the end of August, so that the residents can stay there for the time being. During renovation work on the building, materials containing asbestos were discovered. As a precaution, the COA has decided to temporarily relocate all residents. In doing so, they are erring on the side of caution.

The COA is currently having an investigation carried out to determine the exact location of the asbestos and what the implications are for safety and further construction work. The investigation is expected to be completed next week. By then, there will also be greater clarity regarding any health risks to people who have used the building. As far as is currently known, the part of the building housing the ISK is physically separate from the emergency shelter. Furthermore, the available data suggest that this wing was built during a period when the ban on asbestos was already in force.

Pending the outcome of the investigation, the emergency shelter will remain closed. Once the results are known, the COA and the local authority will jointly assess what the findings mean for the next steps and for all those involved. During the temporary closure, security and surveillance in and around the premises will continue as normal.