In antwoord op onze kamervragen bevestig @SvVeldhoven dat er #PFAS zit in #kunstgras. Geen antwoord op de vraag welke gezondheidsrisico’s dit met zich meebrengt. Ondertussen stapelen de kunstgrasmatten zich verder op..... pic.twitter.com/ueh1yaLkwM— Suzanne Kröger (@suzanne_GL) December 4, 2019
Kroger's Tweet translated: "Confirm in response to our parliamentary questions @SvVeldhoven that there #PFAS sit in #kunstgras
. No answer to the question of what health risks this entails. In the
meantime, the artificial grass mats are piling up further ....."
____________________________________________________________________________
Parliment member Suzanne Kroger (twitter @suzanne_GL ) has posted the response to Parliment's questions on #PFAS in Artificial Grass. Responses are from Stientje v Veldhoven ( twitter @SvVeldhoven ). Veldhoven is a Dutch politician and former diplomat and civil servant serving as State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management in the Third Rutte cabinet since 26 October 2017.
The Secretary of State has admitted that the Industry uses PFAS to produce artificial grass.
Therefore it’s in there.
She now asked the EU for a guidance in this subject. En probably there will be a ban to use PFAS to produce artificial grass
She answered in questions asked by our parliament.
She didn’t answer the question about health issues.
On October 10, I received written questions from member Kröger about PFAS in artificial grass. I hereby send you the answers to the questions asked.
Question 1
Do you know the message "Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found in Artificial Turf"? (1)
Answer 1
Yes.
Question 2
As far as you know, is polypropylene and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in the production of artificial grass used in the Netherlands?
Answer 2
Yes. Fluoropolymers from the PFAS group are used in extrusion processes in the plastics industry, such as in the production of fibers for artificial grass. Due to the wide application of PFAS in a large number of processes and the risks that this poses to the environment and health, the government has opted to work in a European context on phasing out the use of PFAS in non-essential applications via the REACH regulation .
Question 3
Has the PFAS content of artificial grass used in the Netherlands been investigated? If not, are you planning this now that PFAS is a very worrying substance?
Question 4
If Dutch artificial grass is contaminated with PFAS, what are the exposure risks for athletes, employees of artificial grass companies or maintenance staff of artificial grass sports fields?
Question 5
What are the risks for the environment, soil and water, due to leaching of PFAS?
Answer questions 3, 4 and 5
Because PFAS is used worldwide in a large number of products and processes, I have a broad focus on the risks of PFAS. At the moment nothing is known about the specific risks of PFAS in artificial grass in scientific literature and at RIVM and ECHA.
The Minister of IenW and I have promised two investigations into the release of PFAS from different sources. I asked Rijkswaterstaat to do research into (diffuse) discharges from PFAS and the causes thereof. The RIVM is also involved in this. Completion is planned for the second quarter of 2020. In addition, I promised to have a study carried out into PFAS in products, production processes and waste streams. This will be done by Arcadis. This investigation is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020. These investigations have since been started. Given the size of the PFAS group, it is not feasible to include all processes and products that potentially use substances from this group. Based on available literature and previous studies, the scope is focused on products, processes and discharge points with the greatest risk of environmental and health effects due to release of PFAS into the environment and / or human exposure. For the research into PFAS in products, production processes and waste streams, this scope will be further specified in the first phase that has recently started. This will also include the production of plastics and plastic products.
Question 6
What are the risks arising from the processing and recycling of artificial grass?
Answer 6
At the moment nothing is known about the specific risks of PFAS in artificial grass in scientific literature and at RIVM and ECHA. This also applies to its processing and recycling. I will await the aforementioned investigations for this. In a general sense, the Environmental Management Act requires waste processors to take measures to control risks to the environment that they are aware of (or may reasonably be aware of). On behalf of the competent authority, this is supervised by the environmental services.“
Therefore it’s in there.
She now asked the EU for a guidance in this subject. En probably there will be a ban to use PFAS to produce artificial grass
She answered in questions asked by our parliament.
She didn’t answer the question about health issues.
On October 10, I received written questions from member Kröger about PFAS in artificial grass. I hereby send you the answers to the questions asked.
Question 1
Do you know the message "Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found in Artificial Turf"? (1)
Answer 1
Yes.
Question 2
As far as you know, is polypropylene and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in the production of artificial grass used in the Netherlands?
Answer 2
Yes. Fluoropolymers from the PFAS group are used in extrusion processes in the plastics industry, such as in the production of fibers for artificial grass. Due to the wide application of PFAS in a large number of processes and the risks that this poses to the environment and health, the government has opted to work in a European context on phasing out the use of PFAS in non-essential applications via the REACH regulation .
Question 3
Has the PFAS content of artificial grass used in the Netherlands been investigated? If not, are you planning this now that PFAS is a very worrying substance?
Question 4
If Dutch artificial grass is contaminated with PFAS, what are the exposure risks for athletes, employees of artificial grass companies or maintenance staff of artificial grass sports fields?
Question 5
What are the risks for the environment, soil and water, due to leaching of PFAS?
Answer questions 3, 4 and 5
Because PFAS is used worldwide in a large number of products and processes, I have a broad focus on the risks of PFAS. At the moment nothing is known about the specific risks of PFAS in artificial grass in scientific literature and at RIVM and ECHA.
The Minister of IenW and I have promised two investigations into the release of PFAS from different sources. I asked Rijkswaterstaat to do research into (diffuse) discharges from PFAS and the causes thereof. The RIVM is also involved in this. Completion is planned for the second quarter of 2020. In addition, I promised to have a study carried out into PFAS in products, production processes and waste streams. This will be done by Arcadis. This investigation is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020. These investigations have since been started. Given the size of the PFAS group, it is not feasible to include all processes and products that potentially use substances from this group. Based on available literature and previous studies, the scope is focused on products, processes and discharge points with the greatest risk of environmental and health effects due to release of PFAS into the environment and / or human exposure. For the research into PFAS in products, production processes and waste streams, this scope will be further specified in the first phase that has recently started. This will also include the production of plastics and plastic products.
Question 6
What are the risks arising from the processing and recycling of artificial grass?
Answer 6
At the moment nothing is known about the specific risks of PFAS in artificial grass in scientific literature and at RIVM and ECHA. This also applies to its processing and recycling. I will await the aforementioned investigations for this. In a general sense, the Environmental Management Act requires waste processors to take measures to control risks to the environment that they are aware of (or may reasonably be aware of). On behalf of the competent authority, this is supervised by the environmental services.“
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