31 May 2024 – The public health institute RIVM has advised hobby hen farmers in Zuid-Holland to stop consuming eggs from their hens due to dangerously high levels of cancer-causing PFAS chemicals. This warning follows an investigation of eggs from 31 locations in the region.
RIVM’s investigation focused on areas near the Chemours factory in Dordrecht, which is embroiled in multiple court cases over its role in PFAS pollution. In most of the eggs examined, PFAS levels were so high that consuming just one egg would exceed the weekly maximum exposure recommended by health experts.
The agency emphasized that PFAS from eggs adds to the contaminant levels already ingested from other food and water sources. “If people consume more PFAS over time than recommended, they will damage their health,” RIVM warned.
RIVM is expanding its research nationwide to assess eggs from hens kept in back gardens and city zoos to determine the full scope of the problem.
Earlier this year, the European Pesticide Action Network highlighted that the Netherlands and Belgium are more likely than other EU member states to produce fruit and vegetables containing PFAS pesticide residues. Although the EU plans to ban PFAS in many industries, pesticides are not currently included in these regulations.
This isn’t the first time RIVM has issued such warnings. Two years ago, it advised hobby fishers to drastically reduce their consumption of fish, shrimp, oysters, and mussels caught in the Westerschelde estuary due to chemical pollution. Fish and shellfish from this estuary were found to contain eight to ten times the PFAS levels of similar products sold in stores.
As RIVM continues to investigate, it remains crucial for residents to be aware of the potential health risks associated with PFAS contamination in their local food sources.