In Flanders, which accounted for 400 of the businesses and more than 750,000 of the visitors, the theme for the 21 edition of the event was Materials in Movement. The theme stressed the need for better recycling and sustainability to prevent waste and improve the use of non-renewable resources. Forty-six companies across the region represented the theme, including five that were awarded prizes by OVAM, the Flemish public waste management agency. They were steel producers ArcelorMittal of Ghent, interior builders Beneens & Sons of Olen (Antwerp province), waste handlers IOK Afvalbeheer of Mol (Antwerp province), second-hand dealers De Kringwinkel in Antwerp and Van Gansewinkel of Evergem (East Flanders), which turns waste into energy and raw materials and won the award of the public.
Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege visited two sites that work on environmental remediation, which concerns the cleaning up of soil and water on polluted sites. One was the former coking plant Carcoke in Zeebrugge, taken out of commission in 2003. Since then, tens of thousands of tonnes of sediment, debris and polluted soil have been removed, cleaned and recycled. The site is now a solar and wind-energy park.
The minister also visited the Hoedhaar site in Lokeren, East Flanders, previously polluted with mercury by factories treating animal fur to produce felt. The site is now intended for new housing.
Flanders Today is a 
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