Master dissertation by Emiel Depoortere

This thesis explores the overlooked consequences of post-war urbanization in Flanders by tracing the material flow of engineering brick—one of the era’s dominant building material—back to its origin in the Rupel region. Once one of the world’s largest brick-producing centers, the area was transformed by intensive clay extraction into a landscape of deep pits. When the brick industry collapsed in the late 1960s, these pits became the “largest dump of Flanders.” From the early 1970s, they were systematically filled with hazardous waste: asbestos from Eternit, fly ash from coal plants, household refuse, and phosphorgypsum from chemical industries. Much of this waste came not only from Belgium but also from the Netherlands and Germany.

The research unfolds in three chapters: Disruption, Waste, and Resistance. It examines how economic policies promoting “cheap urbanization” fueled mechanization, triggered the decline of traditional industries, and left communities in social and economic disarray. It then exposes the opportunistic conversion of abandoned clay pits into landfills, revealing a capitalist logic that treats landscapes as disposable production tools. Finally, it highlights the rise of environmental activism, focusing on the Actiegroep Leefmilieu Rupelstreek (ALR), one of Flanders’ earliest ecological movements. Through actions like the 1981 “Stortroute,” ALR fought to make hidden waste visible and influenced the creation of OVAM, the Flemish Waste Agency.

Drawing on archival documents, site visits, and interviews, the thesis uncovers how these landscapes—now often greened and repurposed as nature reserves or recreation areas—mask a toxic legacy. It argues that the Rupelstreek is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern of environmental neglect tied to urban growth. By “unblackboxing” waste management, this study calls for transparency and long-term thinking in planning, reminding us that the scars of progress remain buried beneath the surface.