Authorities held a town meeting on PFAS contamination in North Zealand: "I am still concerned about it"

Myndigheds meeting on PFAS contamination in Nordsjælland: 'I am still concerned'

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Authorities assure that they are doing what they can to investigate the suspicion of PFAS contamination from a teflon factory.

Novelle Søndergaard was one of the many residents who attended the authorities' information meeting. 35 minutes ago

There were only a few empty chairs in the room at the local library when an information meeting about PFAS contamination in the small Nordsjælland town of Kvistgård was held Monday evening.

However, even though officials from both Helsingør Kommune and Region Hovedstaden answered questions from the many attendees, there was still concern among several residents as they left the meeting, which lasted two hours.

- I didn't get the clarification I had hoped for. I'm still uncertain and worried about what the consequences might be for me and my family, said Sune Lolk, who was among the local residents who attended the meeting.

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Teflon factory near schools and villas

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It is especially the teflon factory Accoat, located in the town, that raises concerns.

The factory, which is located near both villa neighborhoods and a school, kindergarten, and daycare center, performs teflon coatings on metal elements.

Teflon is a type of PFAS chemical that, in the worst-case scenario, can be harmful to the environment and health.

- I'm not concerned about myself, as I'm getting old. But I have grandchildren and children. So I'm definitely still worried, said Bent Nyholm, who also lives in Kvistgård.

Bent Nyholm lives in Kvistgård, where PFAS has been found in several places.

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PFAS in groundwater

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Region Hovedstaden informed the attendees that PFAS chemicals have been found in groundwater at several addresses in the town, including several of Accoat's former addresses in the area.

And Helsingør Kommune announced that they have issued a warning to the company to begin measuring for PFAS in the chimney stack.

As DR reported Monday, the commune has received "strong suspicions" that Accoat is emitting PFAS into the air. ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/strong-suspicions-of-pfas-contamination-from-nordsjaelland-factory-now-requires-commune )

- I don't think there are many who are concerned about the groundwater, but more about the air they breathe and their children breathe, said Novella Søndergaard, who was among the residents who attended, after the meeting.

The commune could not give a precise date for when the results would come, but indicated that it would take some months.

Maria Sørensen from Kvistgård was one of those who asked questions at the meeting

- It's so frustrating not to know what's going on and what time horizon we're looking at, said Maria Sørensen, who lives near the factory, after the meeting.

She told the attendees about how she and her family experience dust clouds that they suspect come from Accoat.

And several of the attendees wondered aloud about possible links between various diseases that family members have suffered from and PFAS contamination.

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Tip us

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Do you have knowledge of this case that we should know about? Contact journalist Morten Frandsen at [email protected]

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Doctor: Difficult to link diseases to contamination

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A doctor from the occupational medicine clinic explained to the attendees that it is often difficult to link specific disease cases to contamination.

Helsingør Kommune's leader of the environmental department emphasized on his side that Accoat complies with all the requirements in the current environmental permit, including the amount of dust.

He also explained that the commune would like there to be guidelines for PFAS in the air but that they do not yet exist.

- I think some people are doing their best. But I don't think enough is being done, concluded Sune Lolk from Kvistgård after the meeting.

Accoat has not wished to give an interview but has written to DR that the company uses legal products and complies with the requirements in the environmental permit.

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