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PFAS danger: Drinking water and food under suspicion – what now?
Baden-Baden provides information about PFAS pollution in Europe, its health risks and the ongoing measures to combat it.
PFAS danger: Drinking water and food under suspicion – what now?
The dangers of PFAS in Europe
Did you know that almost all of us come into contact with per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS)? These so-called “forever chemicals” are not only long-lasting, but are also suspected of being harmful to health. They could even be carcinogenic and have various health effects on our nervous system, heart and circulatory system. This is the result of extensive research carried out by, among others Schwäbischen.de were published.
PFAS are attracting attention in the environment, and not always for the best. In Switzerland, for example, traces of these chemicals were discovered in cow's milk caused by contaminated sewage sludge. These were used as fertilizer until 2006. In addition, it was discovered at Memmingen Airport in Germany that drinking water has been contaminated for around ten years - a problem that has arisen from the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS since the days of the Federal Air Force.
The situation becomes particularly explosive when we look at the health consequences. Studies show that PFAS can accumulate in the human body. Loud Umweltbundesamt.de These chemicals are mainly absorbed through food or drinking water. Shockingly, in recent studies, critical levels of PFOA were exceeded in around 21.1 percent of children and adolescents. Long-term health effects are well documented: ranging from increased liver weight to disturbances in lipid metabolism and a possible connection with increased cholesterol levels.
The EU takes this problem seriously. In 2019, the Council of Ministers called for the development of an action plan to eliminate unnecessary PFAS uses. In a question to the Commission, the Greens/EFA group addressed numerous points relating to the revision of the guidelines on PFAS in drinking water. These include, among other things, the need to classify TFA concentrations above 0.5 μg/l as non-compliant, which highlights the dangers of these chemicals and emphasizes the need for corrective action - because without effective countermeasures, the concentration of these substances could continue to rise. This information was published in an article by European Commission held.
The impact on our drinking water supply is alarming. In Rastatt, PFAS were found in drinking water samples, and the affected groundwater areas cover an area of 127 square kilometers. Here the environmental partner Vogel AG is brought into play as a possible cause of the pollution, but denies responsibility.
The amendment to the EU Drinking Water Directive, which will come into force in 2026, is intended to set a generally applicable limit value for PFAS for the first time. But until then, it remains important to continue to lead the conversation about the dangers of PFAS and find solutions to reduce the impact on our environment and our health. An urgent concern that affects us all.