Overview
- A joint analysis by Natuur & Milieu and NIOO‑KNAW covering 205 official and 57 popular unofficial sites shows every tested swim location exceeded at least one legal chemical limit.
- The study reviewed monitoring data from 2015–2024 and found 2024 had no sites meeting all chemical quality norms, marking a marked deterioration since the mid‑2010s.
- Researchers identified a broad mix of contaminants often above limits, including PFAS and other persistent industrial chemicals, PAHs, pesticides/biocides, metals and antifouling agents.
- Official swim checks focus on bacteria and blue‑green algae and do not routinely test or report chemical contamination, leaving swimmers uninformed about long‑term exposure risks.
- Authors recommend tackling pollution at the source with stricter discharge permits, targeted local monitoring to locate emitters, and clearer public information; unresolved exceedances could prompt EU Water Framework Directive scrutiny in 2027.