Who is responsible for PFAS contamination? – DW – 07/15/2025
The sleepy small town of Trissino lies at the foot of the Italian Alps, surrounded by lush fields, green hills and small industrial plants on its outskirts.
Though there is nothing to suggest that gigantic quantities of drinking water and large parts of the soil in the entire region have been contaminated with extremely toxic chemicalsfrom a local chemical facility, that is what a court in Rome recently concluded.In a case that opened in 2021, 11 defendants were sentenced to years in prison. They had worked for the Japanese Mitsubishi Group and Chemical Investors from Luxembourg, among others.
According to estimates by non-governmental organizations, the contamination could affect around 350,000 people in the northern Italian region of Veneto.
Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds, PFAS for short, are extremely persistent chemicals that cannot be broken down. Once they enter the environment, they remain there "forever."
Scientists have established a link between PFAS and liver and kidney damage, increased cholesterol levels, diseases of the lymph nodes and reduced fertility in men and women. According to the German Federal Environment Agency, it also leads to low birth weights in babies, can reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations and cause cancer in high concentrations.
The chemicals are considered a global problem and can be detected almost everywhere.
In 2018, scientists at Harvard University found that 98% of US citizens have PFAS in their blood. Studies on breast milk in countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines detected the substances in almost all samples. In Germany, too, every child has forever chemicals in their bodies. A fifth of them exceed critical levels.
PFAS were discovered in 1938 by the American chemical giant DuPont. Due to their special properties of protecting metal from corrosion even at high temperatures, the chemicals were first used in the development of the atomic bomb.
The substance later found its way into households worldwide under the brand name "Teflon" in the form of coated pans. This marked the beginning of the commercial rise of the chemicals, which proved to be useful for many products.
With their unique resistance to heat, water and dirt, they are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. They can be found in everything from waterproof outdoor clothing, makeup and stain-resistant carpets to medical devices, semiconductors and wind turbines.
The chemicals, which are mainly ingested through drinking water and food, accumulate in the body over time. In addition to breast milk and blood, they can also be detected in hair.
In 1998, the non-stick coating of Teflon was clearly scratched when a hundred cows belonging to a cattle farmer suddenly died near a production facility in the US city of Parkersburg in West Virginia.
It was later revealed that thousands of people in the region were contaminated by a leaking dump and wastewater from the DuPont factory that contained PFAS.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Documents show that DuPont, unlike government authorities, had known about the danger for decades but continued to discharge the substance into the environment. Studies suggest that high levels of PFOA (a specific PFAS substance) in the region are linked to cases of kidney and testicular cancer.
In 2017, DuPont and the now-spun-off company Chemours agreed to pay $671 million (€574 million) in compensation to 3,550 people affected.
PFAS are still being released into the environment. The US environmental organization EWG has calculated that almost 10,000 locations across America are contaminated with the substances. This is based on measurements by the US Environmental Protection Agency, among others. It is estimated that around 160 million people could be affected nationwide.
In Europe, 23,000 sites are known to be contaminated with PFAS. According to the European Environment Agency, 2,300 of these are so heavily contaminated that they pose a health risk.
In Alsace, France, the authorities are currently warning people not to drink tap water after checks revealed elevated levels of 20 forever chemicals.
And in Dalton in the US state of Georgia, a lawsuit is currently being filed against a carpet manufacturer, Chemours and the chemical company 3M. Residents there also fear they have fallen ill due to PFAS contamination.
Legally binding limits for six PFAS chemicals in drinking water were adopted for the first time under former US President Joe Biden. The subsequent Donald Trump administration has reversed four of them.
In 2023, the 3M Group agreed to pay around $10 billion to local water suppliers to settle lawsuits over PFAS pollution and those that could arise. 3M is also being sued for contamination in the Netherlands, another country where it operates.
The European Union recently passed legislation to reduce these substances' use. In the long term, the member states are seeking to completely abolish PFAS. Exceptions are to be made for products whose use of PFAS is "essential for society". This could include, for example, medical material such as stents for opening and closing blood vessels or artificial joints.To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
a day ago
- DW
Hazardous 'forever chemicals' found in period products – DW – 07/26/2025
Period underwear and menstrual cups are touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. Now a team of researchers has discovered that they can contain risky "forever chemicals," or PFAS. The name sounds almost poetic: forever chemicals. But these are perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which get their name from the fact that they practically never decompose — and stay in our environment forever. They also have serious consequences for humans. Some PFAS are carcinogenic, while others have an effect on the immune system or reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations. "PFAS can affect fertility, sperm quality or even the development of the child in the womb," toxicologist Marike Kolossa-Gehring told the German TV show . Forever chemicals have also been linked to thyroid disorders and high blood pressure. Now, a research team in the US has found that these chemicals can be found in reusable period products. Almost a third of the period underwear, menstrual cups and reusable pads tested by the scientists were made using these toxic chemicals. The team, led by Alyssa Wicks and Graham Peaslee at the US University of Notre Dame, tested 59 reusable period products from North America, South America and Europe. The researchers found low levels in some products, which were most likely packaging residues. But in some products, the levels were so high that PFAS must have been used in the manufacturing process — even though they would work just as well without the toxic chemicals. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "We found PFAS in some, but not all of the products," Peaslee, a physicist and professor emeritus at Notre Dame University, told DW. "So it's not necessary. Some don't have PFAS, and they sell fine." The chemicals can cause harm to humans in two ways. The direct route is absorption through the skin of the wearer. "The skin absorbs between 1% and 50% of PFAS in the product," said Peaslee. "Even if only 1% or 2% are absorbed, that's still bad." The indirect route endangers not only the individual using the item, but everyone else, too. When the products are disposed of, the chemicals end up in our water cycle, where, as their name suggests, they do not decompose. People the wind up absorbing PFAS via their drinking water or food that has been irrigated with contaminated groundwater. "These products are sold as eco-friendly, because they produce less waste than single-use products," says Peaslee. "But this chemical class is particularly terrifying, because they're everywhere and don't go away." PFAS are widespread. They are water and dirt repellent, as well as resistant to pressure and heat. This makes them attractive for companies like clothing and packaging manufacturers. Forever chemicals can be found in water-repellent jackets or shoes, in tents and in food packaging. PFAS are even used in cosmetics to alter the consistency of the product, or as a colorant, for example. With the study, Wicks, Peaslee and their team want to raise awareness of the dangers of PFAS in menstrual products, both among companies and consumers. They do not mention brand names in their published report. "We didn't want to be sued," said Peaslee, adding that could easily happen in the US. The researcher said that it would be more cost-effective for producers to omit PFAS from their products, as these materials are expensive. However, at the end of the day, he expects any industry move away from PFAS will primarily be driven by consumers. "Consumers have a lot of market power," says Peaslee. "Consumers should ask [whether products are manufactured without PFAS] and be vocal about their choices. If there's demand, companies will start to test for [the chemicals] and say when their products don't contain PFAS. And companies won't lie, because they don't want to get sued, either."
DW
2 days ago
- DW
Hazardous 'forever chemicals' in period products – DW – 07/26/2025
Period underwear and menstrual cups are touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. Now a team of researchers has discovered that they can contain risky "forever chemicals," or PFAS. The name sounds almost poetic: forever chemicals. But these are perfluoralkyl or polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS), which get their name from the fact that they practically never decompose — and stay in our environment forever. They also have serious consequences for humans. Some PFAS are carcinogenic, others have an effect on the immune system or reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations. "PFAS can affect fertility, sperm quality or even the development of the child in the womb," toxicologist Marike Kolossa-Gehring told the German TV show . Forever chemicals have also been linked to thyroid disorders and high blood pressure. Now a research team in the US has found that these chemicals can be found in reusable period products. Almost a third of the period underwear, menstrual cups, and reusable pads tested by the scientists were made using thSee toxic chemicals. The team, led by Alyssa Wicks and Graham Peaslee at the US University of Notre Dame, tested 59 reusable period products from North America, South America and Europe. The researchers found low levels in some products, which were most likely packaging residues. But in some products, the levels were so high that PFAS must have been used in the manufacturing process — even though they would work just as well without the toxic chemicals. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "We found PFAS in some, but not all of the products," Peaslee, a physicist and professor emeritus at Notre Dame University, told DW. "So it's not necessary. Some don't have PFAS, and they sell fine." The chemicals can cause harm to humans in two ways. The direct route is absorption through the skin of the wearer. "The skin absorbs between 1% and 50% of PFAS in the product," said Peaslee. "Even if only 1% or 2% are absorbed, that's still bad." The indirect route endangers not only the individual using the item, but everyone else, too. When the products are disposed of, the chemicals end up in our water cycle, where, as their name suggests, they do not decompose. People the wind up absorbing PFAS via their drinking water or food that has been irrigated with contaminated groundwater. "These products are sold as eco-friendly, because they produce less waste than single-use products," says Peaslee. "But this chemical class is particularly terrifying, because they're everywhere and don't go away." PFAS are widespread. They are water and dirt repellent, as well as resistant to pressure and heat. This makes them attractive for companies like clothing and packaging manufacturers. Forever chemicals can be found in water-repellent jackets or shoes, in tents and in food packaging. PFAS are even used in cosmetics to alter the consistency of the product, or as a colorant, for example. With the study, Wicks, Peaslee and their team want to raise awareness of the dangers of PFAS in menstrual products, both among companies and consumers. They do not mention brand names in their published report. "We didn't want to be sued," said Peaslee, adding that could easily happen in the US. The researcher said that it would be more cost-effective for producers to omit PFAS from their products, as these materials are expensive. However, at the end of the day, he expects any industry move away from PFAS will primarily be driven by consumers. "Consumers have a lot of market power," says Peaslee. "Consumers should ask [whether products are manufactured without PFAS] and be vocal about their choices. If there's demand, companies will start to test for [the chemicals] and say when their products don't contain PFAS. And companies won't lie, because they don't want to get sued, either."
DW
16-07-2025
- DW
Who is responsible for PFAS contamination? – DW – 07/15/2025
Hazardous "forever chemicals" contaminate drinking water, soil and food worldwide. Who is responsible for their contamination? The sleepy small town of Trissino lies at the foot of the Italian Alps, surrounded by lush fields, green hills and small industrial plants on its outskirts. Though there is nothing to suggest that gigantic quantities of drinking water and large parts of the soil in the entire region have been contaminated with extremely toxic chemicalsfrom a local chemical facility, that is what a court in Rome recently a case that opened in 2021, 11 defendants were sentenced to years in prison. They had worked for the Japanese Mitsubishi Group and Chemical Investors from Luxembourg, among others. According to estimates by non-governmental organizations, the contamination could affect around 350,000 people in the northern Italian region of Veneto. Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds, PFAS for short, are extremely persistent chemicals that cannot be broken down. Once they enter the environment, they remain there "forever." Scientists have established a link between PFAS and liver and kidney damage, increased cholesterol levels, diseases of the lymph nodes and reduced fertility in men and women. According to the German Federal Environment Agency, it also leads to low birth weights in babies, can reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations and cause cancer in high concentrations. The chemicals are considered a global problem and can be detected almost everywhere. In 2018, scientists at Harvard University found that 98% of US citizens have PFAS in their blood. Studies on breast milk in countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines detected the substances in almost all samples. In Germany, too, every child has forever chemicals in their bodies. A fifth of them exceed critical levels. PFAS were discovered in 1938 by the American chemical giant DuPont. Due to their special properties of protecting metal from corrosion even at high temperatures, the chemicals were first used in the development of the atomic bomb. The substance later found its way into households worldwide under the brand name "Teflon" in the form of coated pans. This marked the beginning of the commercial rise of the chemicals, which proved to be useful for many products. With their unique resistance to heat, water and dirt, they are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. They can be found in everything from waterproof outdoor clothing, makeup and stain-resistant carpets to medical devices, semiconductors and wind turbines. The chemicals, which are mainly ingested through drinking water and food, accumulate in the body over time. In addition to breast milk and blood, they can also be detected in hair. In 1998, the non-stick coating of Teflon was clearly scratched when a hundred cows belonging to a cattle farmer suddenly died near a production facility in the US city of Parkersburg in West Virginia. It was later revealed that thousands of people in the region were contaminated by a leaking dump and wastewater from the DuPont factory that contained PFAS. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Documents show that DuPont, unlike government authorities, had known about the danger for decades but continued to discharge the substance into the environment. Studies suggest that high levels of PFOA (a specific PFAS substance) in the region are linked to cases of kidney and testicular cancer. In 2017, DuPont and the now-spun-off company Chemours agreed to pay $671 million (€574 million) in compensation to 3,550 people affected. PFAS are still being released into the environment. The US environmental organization EWG has calculated that almost 10,000 locations across America are contaminated with the substances. This is based on measurements by the US Environmental Protection Agency, among others. It is estimated that around 160 million people could be affected nationwide. In Europe, 23,000 sites are known to be contaminated with PFAS. According to the European Environment Agency, 2,300 of these are so heavily contaminated that they pose a health risk. In Alsace, France, the authorities are currently warning people not to drink tap water after checks revealed elevated levels of 20 forever chemicals. And in Dalton in the US state of Georgia, a lawsuit is currently being filed against a carpet manufacturer, Chemours and the chemical company 3M. Residents there also fear they have fallen ill due to PFAS contamination. Legally binding limits for six PFAS chemicals in drinking water were adopted for the first time under former US President Joe Biden. The subsequent Donald Trump administration has reversed four of them. In 2023, the 3M Group agreed to pay around $10 billion to local water suppliers to settle lawsuits over PFAS pollution and those that could arise. 3M is also being sued for contamination in the Netherlands, another country where it operates. The European Union recently passed legislation to reduce these substances' use. In the long term, the member states are seeking to completely abolish PFAS. Exceptions are to be made for products whose use of PFAS is "essential for society". This could include, for example, medical material such as stents for opening and closing blood vessels or artificial play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio
