The Flemish government finally intervenes at chemical company 3M near the port of Antwerp. The production processes in which the toxic PFAS is released have been stopped immediately. That is the only way to protect local residents, according to the Belgian authorities. In Zeeland, too, there have been concerns for years about emissions from 3M.
Earlier this week, blood tests among 800 local residents showed that hundreds of people have too much of the chemicals in their blood. The substance, which resembles the GenX and the C8 of Chemours (DuPont) with which parts of Dordrecht were previously contaminated, is not biodegradable. It can accumulate in the liver, for example, and make people sick or infertile.
3M was given two days on Tuesday to demonstrate that the factory in Zwijndrecht near Antwerp would no longer emit harmful substances into the air or via discharges into the Scheldt. According to the Department of Environment and the Agency for Care and Health, this has not been successful.
Temporarily shutting down the production processes involved is therefore currently the only way to ensure that exposure risks for local residents do not increase further.
Zeeland worries
The decision will not only have been received with approval in Antwerp. In the Netherlands, especially Zeeland, there have been great concerns about 3M’s PFAS emissions for years. The chemical company discharges the toxic substances into the water of the Scheldt, among other places, where they eventually find their way via the Western Scheldt to Zeeland and the North Sea.
At the beginning of September, the province of Zeeland Flanders issued an ultimatum: If the Flemish government does not take action against the PFAS pollution of the Western Scheldt by September, the provincial government must go to the Belgian court to have the 3M environmental permit in Zwijndrecht destroyed. The Zeeland Environmental Federation (ZMf) joined in.
Zeeland points out that 3M is allowed to discharge significantly more PFAS in Antwerp than Chemours in the Botlek today. About five years ago, the pollution around Dordrecht led to a major riot and government measures. Together with Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, our country is now even trying to achieve a European ban on PFAS. Chemours tries to prevent that.
Exposure Risks
Now Flanders seems to be finally intervening. Nevertheless, chemical company 3M is not completely paralyzed. At least part of the activities can continue. This is also a temporary measure, according to the Environment Inspectorate.
“This does not necessarily have to have a long-term impact on the employment provided by 3M. It does mean, however, that 3M must finally be prepared to assume its responsibility towards the environment and in particular its employees.”
PFAS used for pans, clothes and cosmetics
Poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that do not occur naturally in the environment, can be read on the RIVM website. Examples of PFAS are the GenX, made notorious by the Dordrecht Chemours, but also PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonates). PFAS have very useful properties, they are, among other things, water, grease and dirt repellent. Hence, they appear in countless products, including food packaging materials, non-stick pan coatings, clothing, textiles and cosmetics.
However, the dangers of PFAS are at least as great: the material does not break down and can thus end up in drinking water and the food chain. Small amounts can subsequently accumulate in the human body, with adverse consequences for, for example, the immune system or the development of an unborn child. Furthermore, PFAS can cause kidney and testicular cancer, damage the liver and affect cholesterol. Animals can also suffer health damage.
blood tests
Earlier today, the Flemish government decided that all residents in a radius of 5 kilometers around the 3M factory in Zwijndrecht can have their blood tested. In total, about 70,000 inhabitants are eligible.
The Scheldt forms the natural border, said Flemish Minister of Health, Wouter Beke. Residents of the city of Antwerp are therefore not eligible for such a blood test for the time being. A part of Hoboken on the right bank does fall within a radius of 5 kilometers, says Antwerp alderman Els van Doesburg.
Shocking
At the time, blood tests were also performed at Chemours in Dordrecht by the RIVM. That happened after the AD had the blood of some residents around the factory tested. The results were shocking: a couple who had lived next door to the factory for 32 years had a much higher concentration of the chemical C8 in their blood than the government predicted.
The toxic substance C8 – a PFOA (see box above) – was used by Chemours in its factory from 1970 to 2012. Later, just under 700 residents of Sliedrecht were tested.
Watch our news videos in the playlist below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss out on any of the stars.
#Zeeland #Belgium #finally #intervenes #chemical #company #toxic #PFAS