Genk (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): PAS contamination was discovered at the old PLOT site in Waterschei, alarming local gardeners. Geneeskunde voor het Volk and Stan Nimmegeers conducted groundwater tests, revealing mostly safe levels for home-grown vegetables. Residents await further results from OVAM.
Two years ago, PFAS, which are harmful chemicals, were found at the old PLOT site in Waterschei. This worried local people, especially those who grow vegetables in their gardens. Many residents were afraid that these dangerous substances could be in the vegetables they were growing at home.
What are the latest findings on PFAS contamination in Genk’s gardens?
In response to worries about PFAS, Geneeskunde voor het Volk and local gardeners started checking if the groundwater in the gardens was contaminated. Stany Nimmegeers said the investigation took a long time because they needed to do careful tests to get accurate results. This wait made residents more anxious since they wanted to know if their gardens were safe and how it could affect their health. They tested to see if PFAS had leaked into the groundwater, which might harm the vegetables grown there. The results will help residents know if it’s safe to eat their home-grown vegetables and if any actions are needed to protect public health.
The first results from the PFAS testing in the Waterschei Gardens have made local people feel better. One soil sample showed only a slightly higher level of PFAS, which means there’s mostly no PFAS present. This suggests that home-grown vegetables are probably safe to eat, easing worries that started when PFAS was found at the old PLOT site. Stany Nimmegeers said these results are good for calming residents, but he also mentioned the need for regular checks and more tests to keep things safe in the future, especially because of past issues in the area. This way, the community can stay informed and stay healthy.
According to Nimmegeers, one good soil sample isn’t enough to calm everyone’s fears. It’s good for that garden owner, but it doesn’t show how safe other gardens are. People have been waiting for 2.5 years for results from OVAM to find out if their vegetables are safe to eat and if their kids can play outside. OVAM explained that there is old pollution near the PLOT site. Their spokesperson, Jan Verheyen, mentioned that the detailed soil study is almost done, but they still don’t know when the results will come out.
