Netherlands warns children not to swallow sea foam over PFAS concerns

By Senay Boztas | The Guardian | December 13, 2023

Read the full article by Senay Boztas (The Guardian)

"The Dutch government has warned people to stop children and pets swallowing foam at the seaside, after a study showed “forever chemicals” were concentrated in the spume.

After research into foam at the Belgian seaside showing a concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – used widely for their waterproofing qualities but difficult to destroy – the Dutch public health institute RIVM measured the coast in Zeeland, north and south Holland in April and August.

It found that, although not as marked as the “very high concentrations” discovered by the Flemish Institute for Technological Research in one sample from the Belgian resort of Knokke, sea foam at popular Dutch resorts including Egmond, Katwijk, Scheveningen, Texel and Zandvoort had comparable levels of PFAS to Belgium."

Location:

• Europe

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• ProductsFirefighting foam
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses