RIVM: Almost every Dutch resident has PFAS in blood above health limit
By Simone Jacobs
A study by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has revealed that everyone in the Netherlands has PFAS in their blood. Additionally, almost all Dutch residents have the chemical in their bodies at amounts that exceed the health limit.
RIVM studies PFAS levels in Dutch residents' blood
First, what are PFAS? Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of human-made chemicals that accumulate in the environment, animals and people. Emissions and waste from factories that make products with PFAS, such as non-stick pans or rain gear, the substances end up in the air, soil and water, but also increasingly in food and drinking water.
The chemicals can have negative health effects on the body, but it depends on the amount, duration of exposure and a person’s general health. The RIVM conducted the first national study to measure the amount of PFAS in the blood of Dutch residents, looking at 28 different PFAS in almost 1.500 blood samples collected in 2016 and 2017.
The results of the study showed that everyone in the Netherlands has PFAS in their bodies, the most common being PFOS and PFOA. In almost all samples, there were levels above the health limit value.
The Netherlands and Europe working to limit PFAS
With PFAS almost everywhere, it is virtually impossible to avoid contact with the chemicals. According to a government information page, some of the only things that you can do are try to eat a varied diet to ingest as little as possible and use products with PFAS in them as instructed, to avoid exposure.
The Dutch government and other European countries are working together to limit residents' exposure to PFAS. In 2008, PFOS was banned, followed by PFOA in 2020. There has even been a proposal to ban all PFAS across Europe.
Following a concerning 2022 report about the chemicals contaminating the Netherlands’ drinking water, the Dutch government developed a plan to reduce the levels, which included measures such as examining factory permits for wastewater disposal and others.
At the same time, the RIVM plans to conduct more research to get a more up-to-date picture of the levels of PFAS in people. The results are expected to be released in 2026.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more