WEBVTT

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This isn't just about PFAS.
Pollution knows no borders.

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Once you've made these substances,
they persist for centuries or millennia.

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Recent studies show
that chemical substances...

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that are called PFAS and are used in
many products, persist in the environment.

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And some PFAS chemicals are
more harmful to health than we thought.

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The main concern is the endlessness.
We don't know everything yet.

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You can't remove them.

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The current PFAS concentrations are
so high that we ingest or inhale too much.

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So today the Netherlands, along with
Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden...

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submits a proposal to the European
Chemicals Agency to ban PFAS.

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This proposal intends to impose
a European ban on all types of PFAS...

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save a few essential applications,
like medical ones we can't do without yet.

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We can't solve this alone.

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It only works if we reduce PFAS
everywhere in Europe...

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and we won't use it anymore.

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PFAS are in various products, like
non-stick pans, cellphones and sun lotion.

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Via the production and waste flows, these
substances end up in our food and water.

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By banning the entire group
in one batch...

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we prevent one group
from being replaced by another...

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that only years later
may appear just as harmful.

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To prevent that ever more people
are exposed to these substances...

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the standards of using some PFAS
have become stricter in recent years.

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As the standards are low, you must tackle
the production, and we attempt to do so.

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The ban should regulate the production,
trade and import in one go...

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in all of Europe.

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We've come a long way,
but there's still a lot to do.

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We have one more year,
so it'll be tight...

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but as a Dutch citizen, I'm proud
the RIVM plays such an important role.

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It's unique to draw up this proposal
in a joint effort by five countries.

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What may be even more unique
is the list of substances.

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The PFAS group includes thousands
of substances with myriad applications.

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I'm glad we tackle it
with five countries...

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and of course it's crucial the European
Commission supports the initiative.