The Dutch government is pursuing legal action against chemicals group Akzo Nobel for allegedly polluting a number of locations in Holland.
The case, being brought by the Dutch ministry responsible for the environment, will be heard by a district court and relates to 15 sites in the east of the country.
It is the latest twist in a long-running saga between the two sides stretching back 17 years.
The environment ministry said it has spent €27m cleaning up locations it claims were polluted with insecticide hexachlorine cyclohexane by Akzo Nobel between 1954-1975. It accuses the company of polluting 290 sites during that period.
Akzo responded by saying the Dutch Supreme Court had ruled in 2001 that the company was not liable for contamination and the state needed to prove Akzo had acted deliberately or was reckless. The company said it has contacted the High Court to request official exoneration of any blame and that it is confident of success.
