A recent report shows that Dutch drinking water in some places has higher PFAS levels than the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers acceptable.
Half a century ago PFAS was still seen as a miracle substance — something we still use in many ways today, but which has since grown into an environmental problem.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It's an umbrella term for chemicals that do not occur naturally in the environment, but of which thousands of variants can now be found. We started using them because of a number of positive properties:
- Anti-fouling
- Water-repellent
- Grease-repellent
That's why we use them in lubricants, food packaging, non-stick coatings, water-based products and cosmetics. At the same time, they barely break down, if at all.
The result is that these substances have ended up permanently in the soil, as research into dredged sediment, soil and surface water shows. Another name used for PFAS is "forever chemicals".
Want to know for sure what comes out of your tap? Read more on our page PFAS and your water.