RIVM warns: don’t eat fish from the Westerschelde
The water in the Westerschelde is so polluted that it’s better not to eat fish, crustaceans or shellfish caught in those Zeeland waters. That’s an official warning from RIVM. PFAS has been found in fish and shrimp from the Westerschelde, a substance that can cause cancer or liver damage.
A little bit of good news: there is no commercial fishing in the Westerschelde. So you can’t buy fish from the Westerschelde at the supermarket or fishmonger. But there are plenty of amateur anglers who enjoy casting a line in the Westerschelde. That’s exactly the group RIVM is warning, because what’s more fun than frying up fish you caught yourself?
Better not, because with a meal of less than 400 grams of sea bass or flounder from the Westerschelde, an adult man already takes in more PFAS than he should be exposed to over an entire year. For women and children, that limit is even lower—you can imagine.
Accumulation
Moreover, PFAS apparently accumulates. The substances build up in the body, so if you eat fish from the Westerschelde more often, you run an even greater risk. PFAS is nasty stuff: it can weaken the immune system, cause liver damage and lead to certain types of cancer. RIVM found PFAS in all fish in the Westerschelde, such as flounder and whiting. The institute also found the toxic substance in oysters and shrimp.
Non-stick pan
Where does that PFAS come from? It’s a substance made by humans; it isn’t natural. It enters the environment through wastewater and gases from factories, as well as through firefighting foams that contain it. RIVM previously calculated that people in the Netherlands take in more PFAS than is good for us. It was recently revealed that some fast-food packaging also contains PFAS, as do certain non-stick pans.
Also read:
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Source: RIVM.nl
