The PFAS problem: From Fanø to Flint

For decades PFAS has been used in various industries. Now, we are facing the consequences of the widespread use of industrial chemicals contaminating our groundwater, and seeing the effect it has on the human body. 

PFAS have been used in commercial products since the 1940s. They can be in products such as clothing, furniture, food packaging, cooking materials, electrical insulation, and firefighting foam. 

In this episode of WATER x FUTURE, we are talking with a professor in toxicology Lisbeth E. Knudsen at the University of Copenhagen. Recently, she has been featured a lot in the danish media due to PFAS problems on the island of Fanø in the western part of Denmark.

We are also talking to Dr. Jonatan Kleimark, Senior Chemicals and Business Advisor at ChemSec, also known as the International Chemical Secretariat - an independent non-profit organization founded in 2002 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The organization works towards a world free of these 'forever' chemicals.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Intro to WATER x FUTURE podcast series
• 0:37 Intro to episode 16: "The PFAS problem: From Fanø to Flint"
• 3:55 Welcome to Lisbeth E. Knudsen, professor in toxicology at University of Copenhagen
• 5:09 What happened at Fanø and how concerned should we be?
• 5:48 Where is PFAS coming from?
• 7:20 Why are we talking about PFAS now?
• 8:18 What happened at Fanø?
• 9:51 Do we have to start drinking bottled water?
• 11:02 How concerned should we be about PFAS?
• 14:07 Has enough been done to solve this problem?
• 16:01 What would you recommend that authorities should do combat the PFAS problem?
• 17:01 How can we get clean water?
• 17:45 Are we going to solve this problem or is it impossible to get rid of PFAS?
• 21:15 Welcome to Dr. Jonatan Kleimark, Senior Chemicals and Business Advisor at ChemSec
• 21:48 Will you introduce yourself?
• 23:27 What is ChemSec doing to push for new legislation and making businesses more aware?
• 25:16 What are the PFAS problem in Sweden?
• 29:52 What is happening in the EU?
• 32:16 Reflections
• 33:40 Outro and intro to the next episode