READ MORE‘Toxic soil’ The Coupé polder near Alphen aan den Rijn is arguably the biggest toxic waste dump in the Netherlands. In the 1980s, the polder made front page news. According to criminal investigation, illegal toxic waste dumping had been going on for years with the government’s knowledge. Residents have serious doubts regarding the government’s response to dealing with the toxic waste belt. The municipality steadfastly claimed that there was no threat of any toxic contamination. Our soil turns out to be contaminated with chemical substances in hundreds of thousands of sites. This is not only problematic for the environment; most of all it presents a risk to our health. The government has designated 400 locations that must be cleaned up quickly. An enormous task that costs a staggering amount of money. Experts are not sure about the feasibility and quality of this clean-up operation.