Marnix Vangheluwe

Marnix Vangheluwe graduated as Industrial Engineer(Biochemistry) in 1989 and obtained an additional Master in Environmental Sanitation  (University Ghent) in 1991. At Ghent University (1992-2000), he was in charge of the sediment ecotoxicology research group at the GhEnToxLab-Environmental Toxicology (Ghent University).  In 1996, he co-founded the spin-off consultancy EURAS at Ghent University, specialising in environmental risk assessment. Now, as director of ARCHE Consulting, he uses his profound expertise in the field of chemical impact assessment both within the framework of REACH as in conducting site specific impact assessments. He is also the lead author of various guidelines on risk assessments of hazardous substances and in particular metals commissioned by ECHA, VMM, OVAM and OECD. With regard to PFAS, Marnix Vangheluwe has been appointed in 2021 by the Flemish government as an expert to assess the risks of the possible restart of various PFAS-containing processes at a fluorochemical industrial site . This involves looking at the risks to human health (air, soil and groundwater) and the environment (water, sediment, soils and biota). In this regard Marnix Vangheluwe has also contributed to the development of new PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) threshold values for air and deposition for the Flemish government. These updated values are crucial for protecting public health and the environment from the harmful effects of PFAS contamination.