Asbestos in Belgium: rules & approval
Pre-work surveys, removal methods, regional procedures and Demotek’s approval: official reference points for preparing asbestos work in Belgium.
General reference points based on the sources reviewed on 27 September 2026. The materials, work and region determine your site’s obligations; the official texts take precedence.
A survey suited to the planned work
For worker protection, the asbestos inventory must be extended before work that could cause exposure, including to difficult-to-access areas. Preparing and extending it is the responsibility of an asbestos inventory expert.
Inventories predating the reform effective on 22 December 2025 remain valid. They still need updating and extending to the affected areas before work. Prepare existing plans and reports. FPS Employment provides a temporary, conditional arrangement for certain surveyors already active in Brussels or Wallonia: check the basis of their competence for your assignment.
Three removal methods, different conditions
The federal framework distinguishes simple treatments, glove-bag removal and hermetically sealed enclosures. Simple treatments require a company listed for that purpose or an approved company. The other two methods require the corresponding approval.
The method follows the assessment of the material and risks. Training alone does not establish a company’s authorisation. Ask the quote to identify the method and the contractor carrying it out.
The material changes the preparation
Roof sheets, pipe insulation and interior finishes do not automatically use the same method. A photograph cannot confirm asbestos. For asbestos cement, eligibility for simple treatment depends on the regulations and material condition; a small area is not an automatic exemption.
OVAM identifies pipe insulation, plaster and certain asbestos-adhesive interventions as requiring approved contractors. Describe the layers affected by the work, rather than only naming the room.
Procedures in your region
Company approval does not replace the site’s own formalities. In Flanders, OVAM distinguishes non-destructive surveys from destructive surveys before renovation or demolition. A standard asbestos certificate does not automatically cover every layer affected by work.
In Brussels, a class 1C declaration or temporary class 1B permit may be required depending on the work. The site survey must be independent of the removal company; a visual management survey does not replace it. Small unclassified works remain subject to the general conditions that apply.
In Wallonia, check the classification and applicable declaration or permit. SPW brings together site rules and asbestos-waste channels. Specify waste removal and the supporting documents expected in your project file.
OVAM · asbestos surveys (Dutch)
Demotek on the official list
The FPS Employment list reviewed on 27 September 2026 names Demotek SRL, enterprise number 0783.397.239. It records a ministerial order dated 19 June 2026, publication in the Belgian Official Gazette on 26 June 2026 and an expiry date of 14 June 2028.
The list covers glove-bag and hermetically sealed enclosure methods unless stated otherwise. Check the current entry before commissioning work: its position in the list and status can change.
