Bettembourg municipality files complaint against cosmetics company

A conflict between the Bettembourg municipality and cosmetics company International Lacquers has escalated following a recent fire in the Wolser industrial zone. In the aftermath of the incident, Green Party politician Josée Lorsché, a member of the municipal executive board (Schäfferot), announced that the municipality had been facing ongoing issues with the company and intended to file a complaint.

That complaint has now been officially lodged. In response, International Lacquers has denied all accusations and shifted the blame onto the municipality.

A decades-long dispute

International Lacquers, which has been operating in Bettembourg for 40 years, has been in conflict with the municipality for at least the past two decades. The situation intensified about two weeks ago when the municipality halted a construction project at the company's site and filed a complaint. According to Jean-Marie Jans, a CSV member of the municipal executive board, the company has repeatedly carried out unauthorised construction work since 2014.

Jans explained that when a company applies for a building permit, it establishes a formal communication process with the municipality. The local authority then requests the necessary documents and either grants or denies the permit. If a permit is denied, the municipality "naturally" expects that decision to be respected. In this case, however, Jans noted that construction work continued despite the absence of authorisation.

These issues with International Lacquers are not new. There is a consensus among the majority and a significant portion of the opposition regarding the company's conduct.

Former mayor and current LSAP councillor Roby Biwer highlighted the longstanding nature of the problem: "We've visited the site two or three times and urged them to comply with regulations. To my knowledge – though this was nearly 20 years ago – compliance was often achieved retroactively after violations occurred. I still believe that's unacceptable, even today. Therefore, I support the complaint that has now been filed."

Company denies accusations with 'no intention of shutting down'

However, the dispute extends beyond unauthorised construction work. The Bettembourg municipality also accuses International Lacquers of regularly polluting the Dudelange stream. Gusty Graas, a DP member of the municipal executive board, acknowledged that these are diffuse sources of pollution, meaning the exact origins are not always clear. Nevertheless, the municipality has determined that International Lacquers has "sometimes" contributed to this pollution, according to Graas.

Graas explained that multiple analyses of the rainwater have revealed "clear evidence" of excessively high concentrations of solvents on occasion. The company received "written warnings" and was "repeatedly" reminded to take corrective measures.

In response, Jean-François Harpes, CEO of the IL Cosmetics group, which owns International Lacquers, dismissed the accusations in a phone interview with our colleagues. Harpes claimed that only once, five years ago, did a substance used in lip gloss leak, but he emphasised that it "posed no health risk". Regarding the unauthorised construction work, Harpes argued that it was necessary for compliance and had been mandated by state authorities.

Harpes also contended that the company has not received any responses from the municipality to its letters for the past ten years. Furthermore, he claimed that municipal officials have repeatedly expressed a desire for the company to close its operations in Bettembourg. However, Harpes affirmed that the company has no intention of shutting down.

Response by the Ministry of the Environment

The Ministry of the Environment has also weighed in on the situation following an enquiry by our colleagues.

In a statement, the Ministry reported that the Environment Agency conducted an inspection of the Luxcos and International Lacquers sites in May 2024 to verify compliance with their operating permits for classified establishments. Several violations were identified during this inspection.

Among the findings were minor infractions where the company failed to meet its information obligations to the agency. Additionally, the inspection revealed that a new production line for Luxcos was being constructed on the site, but the necessary authorisation documents were not available, according to the Ministry.

As a result, the Ministry decided to suspend these activities in early August. Since the May inspection and subsequent discussions with representatives from International Lacquers, the company has submitted a file for the setup and operation of electrical transformers to the Environment Agency. However, the required documentation to authorise the planned production line has not yet been submitted.

Following the recent fire, agents from the Environment Agency, along with the Water Management Authority, visited the site last week to assess the area and evaluate the potential environmental impact.

The Ministry clarified that due to the fire, parts of the existing authorisations for International Lacquers have been invalidated and must be re-applied for as part of the reconstruction process. Further analyses are planned to determine the extent of environmental pollution from the infiltration of firefighting water and, if necessary, initiate remediation efforts.

During this visit, the Ministry also checked whether the recently issued construction halt was being respected. According to the Ministry, no further construction work was observed that day, and the current status of the site was documented. Additional inspections are planned, the Ministry announced. While the company has submitted a file for electrical transformers, no file has been submitted for the specific establishments affected by the construction halt. The suspension will remain in effect until the necessary authorisations are granted, the Ministry stated.

Full report by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish)