Asbestos legislation through the years

In the 19th century, asbestos was widely used without restrictions. It was not until the 1930s that asbestos was labeled as harmful. From then on, it was recognized as an occupational disease because asbestosis was more frequently diagnosed in people at that time. Yet asbestos legislation was not immediately provided. The fact that the focus was mainly on the advantages of using asbestos (cheap, strong, fire-resistant, insulating, etc.) and the disadvantages were somewhat disguised meant that it took a long time before asbestos legislation was invoked. Especially around the 1980s, asbestos was used enormously in Belgium. On February 3, 1998, asbestos legislation was finally enacted.
https://etaamb.openjustice.be/nl/koninklijk-besluit-van-03-februari-1998_n1998022104.html

A total ban on asbestos was not invoked until Oct. 23, 2001.
https://etaamb.openjustice.be/nl/koninklijk-besluit-van-23-oktober-2001_n2001022848.html

In Belgium, however, there is Federal and Flemish asbestos legislation that differ from each other.

Federal asbestos legislation

A Royal Decree was added to the asbestos legislation in 1978 that sought to ensure workers were protected from asbestos in the workplace. However, a lot was still allowed, so it was rather symbolic.

The Royal Decree of 1986 required asbestos to be replaced by another product if possible. Workers who regularly came into contact with asbestos were also subjected to more frequent medical examinations and maximum asbestos exposure values were laid down in asbestos legislation. 

A Ministerial Decree requiring employers to draw up an asbestos inventory was added to the asbestos legislation in 1993. Through that inventory, it was possible to more clearly identify whether workers were exposed to asbestos. If so, workers had to take measures to reduce the risk.

In 1998 a Royal Decree was added to the asbestos legislation that established a restriction on production of asbestos, and in 2001 a complete ban on production was imposed. In 2007, that Royal Decree was supplemented.

In the Federal codex on well-being at work in title 3 of book 4, you will find all measures related to the protection of the employee against exposure to asbestos.

Flemish asbestos legislation

The Flemish government has a decree of 6 February 1991 and 1 June 1995 containing the main provisions of the asbestos legislation

The Flemish Region is competent for the management of materials containing asbestos and environment and everything outside the sphere of work (private, independent,....)

The management of materials containing asbestos finds its basis in the Materials Decree of December 23, 2011 and the decision of the Flemish Government of February 17, 2012 establishing the Flemish regulation on the sustainable management of material cycles and waste (VLAREMA).

The Decree of the Flemish Government of December 14, 2007 on soil remediation and soil protection (VLAREBO) and the Ministerial Decree of July 1, 2014 approving the Unitary Regulations on Recycled Granules (Unitary Regulations) regulate the presence of waste containing asbestos in soil, earth moving, construction and demolition waste and recycled granules, respectively.