PFAS covers a wide range of fluorine substances that have been used for decades and is still used in a myriad of products. The substances, also known as the ‘Forever Chemicals’, are chemically extremely stable and continuously accumulate in humans and animals and elsewhere in the environment where they can pose a risk to animal and human health.
On a webinar 18 September 2023, researchers as well as food and chemical authorities discussed the current knowledge on PFAS in the Nordic Region. How does PFSA affect health? What are the risks? Where is PFAS found and to what extent? What are the authorities doing and how is it possible to remove or avoid a PFAS? What do we not know and need more knowledge about? 766 participated in the webinar – mostly from professionals in food companies, industry organizations and authorities as well as other private citizens.
Presentations and recordings from the webinar are available below to the extent that the presenters have agreed to sharing these.
Welcome
Christine Nellemann, Director of the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Video
Opening speech: Human health risks and main concerns of PFAS
Anne Marie Vinggaard, Professor, DTU National Food Institute, Denmark
Video
Presentation
Health risks after high exposure to PFAS in drinking water. Experiences from Ronneby, Sweden
Kristina Jakobsson, Professor, School of Public Health and Community medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy Universit of Gothenburg, Sweden
Video
Presentation
PFAS in Finland – dietary exposure, with focus on occurrence in fish
Johanna Suomi, Research Professor. Finnish Food Authority
Video
Presentation
PFAS in food and migration from food contact materials into real food, Denmark
Kit Granby, Associate Professor, DTU National Food Institute, Denmark
Presentation
Production of paper products identified as the main source of PFAS in polluted fish
Håkon A. Langberg, Senior Researcher, The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute
Video
Where the consumer meets PFAS in everyday life
Line Småstuen Haug, Senior Scientist, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Video
Presentation
Overview of monitoring and risk management of PFAS in Denmark and regulatory foresights at the EU level
Henrik Søren Larsen, Head of Office, Ministry of Environment of Denmark
Video
Presentation
Fish meal from wild fish in organic egg production – PFAS findings in Finland, a risk management case
Riitta Rannikko, Senior Specialist, Finnish Food Authority
Presentation
Risk management of PFAS in Norway
Julie Tesdal Håland, Senior Adviser, The Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Head Office, Chemical food safety
Video
Presentation
PFAS in food - how does environmental contamination affect food production and human exposure?
Karl Lilja, Senior Scientific Advisor, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Video
Presentation
Temporal trends of PFAS concentrations in dated sediment cores from Finland and Baltic Sea
Ville Junttila, Researcher, Finnish Environment Institute
Video
Presentation
PFAS - From hero to villain to criminal
Stig Valdersnes, Senior Researcher, Institute of Marine Research, Norway
Video
Presentation
PFAS treatment techniques – Needs for the future?
Lutz Ahrens, Professor in Environmental Organic Chemistry, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Video
Presentation
Topic: Proposal for a broad PFAS restriction in EU
Jenny Ivarsson, Strategic Advisor, Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI)
Video
Presentation
Closing remarks on future perspectives - a world without PFAS?
Harald Gjein, Director at Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment
Video
Helena Brunnkvist, Head of Department, and Emma Halldin Ankarberg, Toxicologist, Swedish Food Agency
Video
Pia Mäkelä, Head of Department, Finnish Food Authority
Video
Christine Nellemann, Director of the DTU National Food Institute, Denmark
Video
