Euronews Tech Talks Life in Zwijndrecht: A European PFAS hotspot
Sep 17, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jeroen Van Reeth, a local resident of Zwijndrecht and founder of a community collective, shares his startling experience living in a PFAS hotspot after contamination was discovered. He recounts the community's shock and the proactive steps they took in response. Experts join the conversation to discuss the persistent nature of PFAS and potential remediation methods. Jeroen emphasizes the need for community advocacy and the challenges of dealing with 'forever chemicals,' offering both insights and a call to action.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Living Next To A PFAS Hotspot
- Jeroen Van Reeth discovered PFAS near his home in Zwijndrecht in 2021 and immediately researched the chemicals daily.
- He realised past health issues in his family might be linked to PFAS and felt a sense of shock and urgency.
Built Home Before Knowing The Risk
- Jeroen and his family built their house 12 years ago and only later learned about nearby pollution risks.
- They had assumed heavy regulation meant the area was safe and felt naive after discovering contamination.
Why PFAS Are 'Forever' Chemicals
- Jacob de Boer explains PFAS are fluorinated synthetic chemicals used widely for their persistence and water-repellent properties.
- Their extreme chemical stability makes them very difficult to degrade, hence the term "forever chemicals."