Greenpeace study: Toxic substances detected in sea foam along the German coast
Fabian Boerger
· 04.02.2025
Whether it's a coated pan, fast food packaging or the impregnation of oilskins: PFAS can be found wherever materials are coated to repel water or grease. But this is not the only place where the harmful substance can now be found. According to a study by the environmental protection organisation Greenpeace, PFAS has been detected in very high concentrations in sea foam along the German coast.
PFAS - the eternity chemical
The problem is that the PFAS bonds are extremely stable and non-biodegradable. This is why they are also known as perpetual chemicals. This means that the concentration will also be high when the water sports season starts in April.
If you come into contact with the foam in which the high PFAS concentration has been detected, a health risk to humans cannot be ruled out, according to Greenpeace. This risk also exists if the aerosols are inhaled, for example in the form of spray in the air in coastal areas. According to the consumer advice centre the substances increase the risk of diabetes or cancer. They can also influence the human hormone system.
Samples on the North Sea and Baltic Sea affected
The Study results are based on studies carried out by Greenpeace between November and January 2025. Nine random samples of seafoam were taken from beaches in Norderney, Sylt, Sankt Peter-Ording, Boltenhagen and Kühlungsborn. The result: they were all contaminated with PFAS.
The highest values were measured in the Baltic Sea resort of Kühlungsborn (160,000 ng/l). This was followed by Sylt (96,000) and Sankt Peter-Ording (58,000). In many places, the concentration exceeded the maximum value permitted in Denmark, for example, by a factor of 4,000. There are no corresponding limits for bathing waters in Germany.
