Measurements show high concentration of harmful PFOs in water coming from Schiphol

According to the latest measurements, the harmful compound PFOS is present in high concentrations in the 60 km long Ring Canal of the Haarlemmermeerpolders. The source of the problem is Schiphol, from which water with unusual PFOS concentration is discharged, Haarlems Dagbald found out.

This is not the first time Schiphol Airport has been responsible for this type of water pollution. In 2008, a sprinkler system in a KLM hangar at the airport accidentally switched on. The sprinklers then spread 143 kilos of foam extinguishing agent that later turned out to contain PFOS. The incident led to severe pollution of the surface water in the area.

PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) is a synthetic chemical compound considered hazardous to health and falls under PFAS. PFOS used to be found in fire-fighting foam, for example, but this has now been banned because the substance is dangerous to people and the environment.

According to the newspaper, the cause of the pollution lies in the Schiphol pumping station, which ensures that the airport remains dry, discharging water into the Ring Canal that contains high concentrations of PFOS. Furthermore, measurements over the past six years have shown that the Schiphol water treatment plant is also responsible for the high PFOS concentration in the ring canal.

A spokeswoman for the Rijnland Water Board also confirmed that too much PFOS was measured in the water at Schiphol. However, she could not say how much PFOS was detected in the most recent measurement. "In general, the area near Schiphol and Haarlemmermeer is a hotspot," she said.

Schiphol is expected to comment on the incident later today.