News item | 25-10-2023 | 13:45
State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Infrastructure and Water Management) has asked the RIVM whether they can map the effects of Chemours on the health of local residents. The RIVM will investigate whether and how this is possible. Heijnen reported this to the House of Representatives today.
Healthy living environment
State Secretary Heijnen has spoken with the RIVM about the possibilities for an extensive study into the risk of Chemours on the health of local residents. The RIVM indicated that the issues surrounding Chemours are fundamentally different from those surrounding Tata Steel, for example, where they previously conducted research at the request of Heijnen.
The State Secretary has instructed RIVM to explore what they can map and which questions need to be answered exactly. This exploration must answer the question of what exactly an investigation will look like.
State Secretary Heijnen: “I see and hear a lot of concerns from residents of Chemours about the living environment and their health, for example when it comes to PFAS. There is a great desire from local residents to conduct extensive research into the health effects of Chemours. That is why I spoke with the RIVM about how they can contribute to this. I have asked the RIVM to specifically look at the questions and concerns of local residents and governments such as municipalities and provinces, so that the research is really done for the region.”
Another area with a lot of PFAS is the area around the Western Scheldt. The situation there differs from that around Chemours, but the State Secretary will ask RIVM to also include this area in the exploration.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands is working on a ban on PFAS in Europe. This ban should apply to the production, use, sale and import of more than 10,000 chemical substances. The Netherlands, together with Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, is the initiator in this. Only by banning PFAS across Europe in one fell swoop can we put a stop to this pollution. The European Commission is expected to submit a final proposal for a ban for decision-making by the Member States in 2025.