Project (g)one Antwerp

With 'Project One', Ineos wants to build one of Europe's largest fossil plastic factories in the Port of Antwerp in the midst of the climate crisis. Fair Resource Foundation and thirteen other organisations took legal action because of the climate and environmental impacts. Despite repeated court rulings on Ineos' (non-transparent) environmental impact, the Flemish government continues to support the project through granting permits and financial guarantees.

16 Oct 2025

* Image for illustrative purposes What if one of the largest fossil plastic factories in Europe is built – in the middle of a climate crisis? What if that happens next to a protected nature reserve, with government money, and with pollution that extends far beyond national borders? Exactly that is what is happening now with Ineos 'Project One' in the Port of Antwerp. A project that will convert fossil ethane gas from the United States into ethylene for new plastic. While we know that we urgently need to phase out the use of fossil fuels and plastic production. Fair Resource Foundation opposes, together with thirteen other organisations, the construction of this redundant factory. Project One follows a fossil business model that is at odds with a liveable future. This project will emit tonnes of CO₂ and flood the already saturated plastic market with even more fossil plastic. On top of that, the Flemish government actively supports this project with guarantees, support, a special task force and accelerated licensing procedures, while courts have repeatedly ruled that Ineos did not sufficiently map the environmental impact. Yet the government continues to issue new permits. The Flemish government is highly accommodating to make billionaire and owner of INEOS Jim Ratcliffe even richer. The start of Project One On 19 January 2019, Ineos announced its intention to build a new ethane cracker and propylene plant in the Port of Antwerp, right next to a protected nature reserve. The factories would process fossil gas from the United States into ethylene and propylene: building blocks for plastic. It soon became clear that this would be one of the largest fossil investments in Europe. Together with thirteen other organisations, we started legal proceedings to stop the construction. Shortly after a first victory to prevent deforestation, Ineos decided at the beginning of 2021 to "halve" the project by temporarily suspending the propylene plant. Not long after, Ineos dropped the entire permit. Was the battle won then? Years of legal battle Unfortunately, later in 2021, Ineos applied for a new permit. A permit that had to cover the entire environmental impact. The uncritical Flemish government quickly gave the green light at the end of 2021. Under the leadership of ClientEarth, we successfully challenged this together. In the meantime, the provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland had also joined against Ineos in a separate case. The impact of nitrogen emissions on Dutch nature was not sufficiently taken into account. In 2022, the objection to the permit was processed and in 2023 the historic ruling followed: the permit was annulled. In 2024, Ineos applied for a permit again, without substantial differences. Yet the Flemish government agreed. Until it withdrew that approval, and immediately issued a new permit based on the new nitrogen framework. Ineos still felt uncertain about meeting the new nitrogen framework and applied for a permit once more. This was granted, after which the Dutch provinces ceased their opposition. But that does not apply to our coalition. The role of the Flemish government Ineos' announcement did not come out of the blue in early 2019. The Flemish government had already made commitments in the autumn of 2018 to bring the project to Antwerp. In competition with the Port of Rotterdam, among others, the Flemish government promised to guarantee part of the investment sum. Via Gigarant, a special government instrument for guarantees, the government, i.e. the Flemish taxpayer, guarantees up to 500 million euros. In addition, it supports Ineos with subsidies, or as it likes to call it: strategic ecological support and strategic transformation support. The bill? 5 million euros. And not only that: after the devastating ruling in 2023, every effort was made to convince Ineos that they could continue: after a personal video call, they were offered intensive guidance from the Department of Environment and that same department called in a task force. Project One: an investment in pollution, not in the future In a time when every tonne of CO₂ counts, the Flemish government consciously chooses to enable the construction of one of the largest plastic factories in Europe. Ineos’ ‘Project One’ will further degrade the environment and flood the world with new plastic — precisely what we do NOT need to combat the climate crisis and plastic soup. More fossil production means recycling struggles to compete and more plastics end up in the incinerator. While so many citizens and companies are doing their bit to reduce emissions, the Flemish government pumps public money and political support into a fossil project that is at odds with climate goals

* Image for illustrative purposes

What if one of the largest fossil plastic factories in Europe is built – in the middle of a climate crisis? What if that happens next to a protected nature reserve, with government money, and with pollution that extends far beyond national borders? Exactly that is what is happening now with Ineos 'Project One' in the Port of Antwerp. A project that will convert fossil ethane gas from the United States into ethylene for new plastic. While we know that we urgently need to phase out the use of fossil fuels and plastic production.

Fair Resource Foundation opposes, together with thirteen other organisations, the construction of this redundant factory. Project One follows a fossil business model that is at odds with a liveable future. This project will emit tonnes of CO₂ and flood the already saturated plastic market with even more fossil plastic.

On top of that, the Flemish government actively supports this project with guarantees, support, a special task force and accelerated licensing procedures, while courts have repeatedly ruled that Ineos did not sufficiently map the environmental impact. Yet the government continues to issue new permits. The Flemish government is highly accommodating to make billionaire and owner of INEOS Jim Ratcliffe even richer.

The start of Project One

On 19 January 2019, Ineos announced its intention to build a new ethane cracker and propylene plant in the Port of Antwerp, right next to a protected nature reserve. The factories would process fossil gas from the United States into ethylene and propylene: building blocks for plastic. It soon became clear that this would be one of the largest fossil investments in Europe.

Together with thirteen other organisations, we started legal proceedings to stop the construction. Shortly after a first victory to prevent deforestation, Ineos decided at the beginning of 2021 to "halve" the project by temporarily suspending the propylene plant. Not long after, Ineos dropped the entire permit. Was the battle won then?

Years of legal battle

Unfortunately, later in 2021, Ineos applied for a new permit. A permit that had to cover the entire environmental impact. The uncritical Flemish government quickly gave the green light at the end of 2021. Under the leadership of ClientEarth, we successfully challenged this together.

In the meantime, the provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland had also joined against Ineos in a separate case. The impact of nitrogen emissions on Dutch nature was not sufficiently taken into account. In 2022, the objection to the permit was processed and in 2023 the historic ruling followed: the permit was annulled.

In 2024, Ineos applied for a permit again, without substantial differences. Yet the Flemish government agreed. Until it withdrew that approval, and immediately issued a new permit based on the new nitrogen framework. Ineos still felt uncertain about meeting the new nitrogen framework and applied for a permit once more. This was granted, after which the Dutch provinces ceased their opposition. But that does not apply to our coalition.

The role of the Flemish government

Ineos' announcement did not come out of the blue in early 2019. The Flemish government had already made commitments in the autumn of 2018 to bring the project to Antwerp. In competition with the Port of Rotterdam, among others, the Flemish government promised to guarantee part of the investment sum. Via Gigarant, a special government instrument for guarantees, the government, i.e. the Flemish taxpayer, guarantees up to 500 million euros.

In addition, it supports Ineos with subsidies, or as it likes to call it: strategic ecological support and strategic transformation support. The bill? 5 million euros. And not only that: after the devastating ruling in 2023, every effort was made to convince Ineos that they could continue: after a personal video call, they were offered intensive guidance from the Department of Environment and that same department called in a task force.

Project One: an investment in pollution, not in the future

In a time when every tonne of CO₂ counts, the Flemish government consciously chooses to enable the construction of one of the largest plastic factories in Europe. Ineos’ ‘Project One’ will further degrade the environment and flood the world with new plastic — precisely what we do NOT need to combat the climate crisis and plastic soup. More fossil production means recycling struggles to compete and more plastics end up in the incinerator.

While so many citizens and companies are doing their bit to reduce emissions, the Flemish government pumps public money and political support into a fossil project that is at odds with climate goals and ecological protection. Judges ruled several times that Ineos does not sufficiently demonstrate the environmental impact. Yet permits are fast-tracked and the project continues to be pushed forward.

We say: enough is enough. Project One belongs in the past. Governments must opt for future-proof solutions, not for polluting industries that fuel the climate crisis.

We will continue to fight Project One legally and publicly — together with citizens, partners and governments that do choose a liveable future.