Substances known by the abbreviation PFAS (perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds) are a large group of widely used, industrially produced chemicals that accumulate in the human body and the environment. They are almost non-degradable by natural processes, which is why they are often called 'eternal chemicals.' They are found, for example, in plastic packaging, carpets, textiles and footwear, Teflon, cosmetics, or foams used for extinguishing liquid fuel fires. The Committee on Regional Development, Public Administration, and the Environment of the Senate of the Czech Republic organized a seminar on April 16th on the issue titled 'ETERNAL CHEMICALS PFAS – Health and Safety Threats, New Limits and Fundamental Changes in EU Rules, Preparedness of the Czech Republic,' which was also attended by experts from the RECETOX center.
"The health impacts of these toxic pollutants, which enter the human body primarily through drinking water and food, are alarming," said Jarmila Smotlachová, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Regional Development, Public Administration, and the Environment. "A significant source of contamination, estimated to be up to 30%, is some of the firefighting foams currently in use. These foams are undeniably effective, but fire sites and training areas are major sources of contamination. It is necessary to quickly replace toxic firefighting agents with safe ones and ensure clean drinking water for citizens," added Senator Smotlachová.
During the seminar, there were several calls for the rapid restriction of these substances, of which there are a huge number. There are said to be 10-12 thousand combinations, and current legislation strictly bans only three of them.
A significant part of the seminar was devoted to the issue of firefighting foam concentrates containing PFAS, which are used to extinguish certain fires. These include two types of fluorinated firefighting agents – those containing PFAS substances of the PFOA type and the PFHxA type. In recent years, European authorities have issued several regulations on their use, and a regulation on the complete ban of PFAS substances in firefighting foams in the EU is currently being finalized.
The RECETOX research center studied the health impacts of PFAS exposure on firefighters in the South Moravian Region, based on a sample of 164 research participants. The study's conclusion was clear: firefighters (both novices and experienced professionals) had higher levels of PFAS in their blood compared to a similar male population. "We were able to demonstrate a correlation between the presence of PFAS in the blood and the presence of bilirubin, which ultimately means a higher predisposition to cardiovascular diseases in the future," said Nina Pálešová from RECETOX.
"Increased exposure of firefighters occurs at the station, where they are practically every day. It's not just about the foams; it's also about work tools treated with PFAS and tools contaminated from interventions. Additionally, there is the handling of firefighting foams stored at the stations," added Nina Pálešová.
Her colleague Aleš Pindur presented the beginnings of the Healthy Firefighter project, which involves a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to this issue, based on the pillars of education, research, and the implementation of findings into practice.
The seminar "ETERNAL CHEMICALS – PFAS" in the Czech Senate showed that the fight against these persistent chemical substances is current and a priority. It requires necessary cooperation between state authorities, experts, and stakeholders from the industry. Senators, scientists, and representatives of environmental organizations agreed that if the problem is not addressed comprehensively and quickly, there could be an accumulation of health risks that will affect the quality of drinking water and public health."
Brno hosted the Research Data Day 2025 & EOSC National Tripartite Event. On May 21–22, 2025, Brno hosted the international conference Research Data Day & EOSC National Tripartite Event, bringing together leading figures of European research, data science experts, representatives of research infrastructures, and science policy makers. One of the keynote speakers on research infrastructures was director of RECETOX Jana Klánová.
“Up to 90% of disease risks are linked to our environment – and these environmental risk factors are largely preventable but they remain largely unmeasured and underregulated” said Martine Vrijheid, ATHLETE research project coordinator and head of ISGlobal’s Environment and Health over the Lifecourse programme, at a science briefing at the European Parliament on 13 May 2025.
