“We live in a fluorinated society,” says Arkenbout. He is deeply concerned about poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “flooding us like a tsunami”. Arkenbout, who is active across Europe with its Toxicowatch agency, has been raising alarm for years about the rapid spread of so-called Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) such as dioxins and PFAS. He is not the only one. Just recently, 116 scientists called on the WHO to tighten guidelines on PFAS exposure drastically. The Dutch government is also concerned: it is working on “a European pathway to limit the use and production of PFAS”.
