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The European country with sea water that has 'toxic effect' on immune systemsAlerts have been issued for PFAS chemicals in the sea around this low country nation. By Richard Ashmore, Senior

News Reporter 08:00, Sun, Dec 17, 2023 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments

several places to have warnings (Image: Rex/ Shutterstock )

A European country across the North Sea from the UK has issued a warning to stop children and pets swallowing seawater at several popular resorts because it is polluted with 'forever

chemicals'.

Dutch health figures are worried the ocean is contaminated with PFAS chemicals, so-call 'forever chemicals' which do not degrade naturally and are resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease, and

water.

More than 9,000 types of the polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances exist and were developed for everything from firefighting foam to the non-stick coating on cooking pans.

Now Dutch and Belgium towns along the Low Countries North Sea coast are worried the man-made pollutant could be ingested and cause harm to the population.

In the popular seaside town of Zandvoort, in Holland, traces of PFAS chemicals have been discovered, and also in the towns of Egmond, Katwijk, Scheveningen, Texel. In Belgium too worrying

amounts have been detected.

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The Guardian reports Mark Habers, the Dutch minister for water management told parliament: “It is sensible to have a shower after swimming, wash your hands before eating, and not to let

children and pets swallow any sea foam.

“The RIVM (Dutch health ministry) has previously established that people in the Netherlands are already too exposed to PFAS. A large amount comes from food and drinking water.

"Every route through which people ingest more PFAS is undesirable, including via sea foam.”

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Every year more than four million people visit Zandvoort to enjoy miles of sandy beaches and rolling dunes. It is also host to the Circuit Zandvoort were large motor racing events are

staged, including the Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix.

In the UK the The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has said PFAS chemical levels that are thought to be harmful to humans are being revised.

Stephanie Metzger, policy adviser at the RSC told the BBC: "Previous health guidelines showed that 100 nanograms per litre [of PFAS] was protective of human health.

"But there has been more research going on over the years that has shown that perhaps effects to human health may occur at lower levels of exposure."