Blood tests offered to people living around Dordrecht chemical plant

People who lived around the Chemcours, formerly DuPont, chemical plant between 1970 and 2012 can go for a free blood test next month. This applies to people who lived in areas contaminated by harmful substances from the factory for at least a year, State Secretary Sharon Dijksma of Infrastructure and environment said to the Tweede Kamer, ANP reports.

Before the summer, Dijksma already told the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, that the investigation into health problems caused by chemical contamination around the plant will not be limited to only a sample - all residents who want a blood test, can get one. The municipalities of Dordrecht Sliedrecht and Papendrecht are now working on arranging that for next month.

Everyone who lived in a polluted area and haven't had a blood test done for this reason yet, can report to their municipality after the autumn vacation. Dijksma could not give much more information, as the municipalities are arranging the tests, not she herself, according to the news wire.