Emy Bensdorp: “Humans throw things out of balance, as a designer I try to find creative solutions that address the problems we’ve created”

PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1950s. These substances are used in a huge array of products because they are water, grease, and dirt repellent, but the toxic and non-degradable production waste ends up in our natural environment and food chains. Neither government nor companies have so far come up with a suitable solution for this problem.

Emy Bensdorp is developing a technique to transform clay soil contaminated by PFAS into 100% clean bricks. The heat of the baking process breaks down the toxic chemicals to create a product that can be widely used to build our homes. An answer to a tricky challenge that until now did not have a solution.

Read the interview with Emy Bensdorp →

Emy Bensdorp was one of the seven talented designers highlighted during Dutch Design Week 2023 at the Secrid Talent Podium in Klokgebouw, a collaboration between Secrid and Dutch Design Foundation.

In addition to the podium, each of the seven designers receives coaching and a monetary award. Thus, the Secrid Talent Podium supports talented designers in developing products that contribute to a sustainable future. We are building a movement that helps shift the industry's focus from producing more to producing better. Together, we believe in design as a force for good.

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