Belgian region grapples with forever chemical scandal
On an early summer afternoon about a dozen people waited to get their samples taken at a municipal building in Braine-le-Chateau, a picturesque town in the French-speaking Wallonia region.
"Initially local authorities told us that measurements were reassuring, but in reality, they didn't have any and were simply trying to keep people calm as best they could," Douglas, a 35-year-old consultant who preferred only to give his first name, told AFP.
"This kind of game has to stop," he said, adding he hoped the blood-sampling campaign launched in June would help shed light on the situation.
Anger in the region first erupted in 2023 when an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed the authorities had ignored longstanding warnings about high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called forever chemicals.
It emerged that the US military, which has an airbase in the small city of Chievres, had warned the local water company in 2017 about high PFAS levels in drinking water, following an incident involving firefighting foam.
The US base advised its personnel to drink bottled water -- but locals were left in the dark for years, even after the regional government was told of the issue in 2018.
PFAS are a family of synthetic chemicals that take an extremely long time to break down.
Chronic exposure to even low levels of the chemicals has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birth weights and several kinds of cancer.
A group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals that repel heat, water and oil, PFAS are used in nonstick pans, stain-proof carpets, and other products.
But their use is increasingly being restricted across the world due to adverse health effects.
In June an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with the chemicals.
- 'Putting out fires' -
Water samples in Braine-le-Chateau last year revealed levels five to six times higher than a safety standard of 4 nanograms/litre (ng/L) for four PFAS recently agreed by Belgian authorities.
The exact source of the pollution has not yet been confirmed and a judicial investigation is underway.
AFP | Nicolas TUCAT
Authorities have since ordered water distribution firms to install activated carbon filters -- a move they say has contained the issue.
Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chievres in early 2024 -- and later extended to nearby areas.
Authorities said almost 1,300 people across about 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks, as part of a fresh campaign launched in June.
The results, which could lead to new health recommendations, are expected later this year.
Wallonia's government, which took office last summer, has also decided to bring forward to 2025 new European Union rules requiring that drinking water must not exceed a total of 100 ng/L for 20 substances in the PFAS family.
"We have taken radical measures and all our distributors are now complying with this standard," Yves Coppieters, the regional minister for health and the environment, told AFP.
Nevertheless he acknowledged that "the population is very concerned", adding that without clarity on the source of the pollution, it might take decades to resolve the issue.
"Telling people not to eat their home-grown eggs and vegetables, setting standards for sewage sludge... for now I'm just putting out fires," said Coppieters, who favours a ban on all products containing PFAS.
Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have submitted a joint proposal for the EU to ban the production, sale, and use of almost all forever chemicals.
And the European Commission has said it is looking to ban PFAS in everyday consumer products.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
3 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
E-cigarettes help smokers quit: prof calls for science-based policies in SA
A leading Italian physician has weighed in on South Africa's Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, calling on parliament to adopt science-based tobacco harm reduction policies. Prof Riccardo Polosa, who leads the Centre of Excellence for Harm Reduction at the University of Catania and has more than two decades of experience in smoking cessation, told the parliamentary portfolio committee on health on Friday that policymakers should seriously consider 'evidence-based tobacco harm reduction strategies'. 'Triangulation of systematic reviews and real-world evidence shows that e-cigarettes help smokers quit. The Cochrane Library, the highest level of evidence, concludes that people are more likely to stop smoking using nicotine e-cigarettes than with nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gums.' In his presentation, Polosa pointed to real-world data from nearly a million people in the US, explaining that the smoking trend line has decreased sharply while vaping has increased. He said this suggested that the more vaping uptake there is, the more smoking is replaced. This, he said, had contributed to the 'near eradication' of smoking among US high school and college students. 'Quitting smoking is not easy, but combustion-free nicotine products reduce toxic emissions and exposure, making it very likely that they lead to reduced harm.'
eNCA
5 hours ago
- eNCA
French health experts speak out against bee-killing pesticide
PARIS - French health experts and patient associations on Tuesday urged authorities to protect the public from a bee-killing pesticide, saying the chemical could also harm children and adults. The legislation to reintroduce in France acetamiprid, a pesticide that is harmful to ecosystems but popular with many farmers in Europe, was adopted on July 8, but without a proper debate to bypass gridlock in a divided parliament. The move sparked anger in France, and support for a student-initiated petition against the legislation has snowballed, with university lecturers, left-wing lawmakers and star chefs backing it. The petition had garnered more than 2 million signatures by Tuesday. Health experts and patient associations have now weighed in, saying in an open letter in French daily Le Monde that they cannot back "a law that is dangerous to the health of our fellow citizens". President Emmanuel Macron, who has been under increasing pressure to act, said he is waiting to hear the verdict of the Constitutional Council, which is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the law on August 7. The health experts and patient associations urged the Constitutional Council to reject the legislation, calling on its members to "respond to the democratic demand strongly expressed by French citizens". The signatories included Agnes Linglart, president of the French Paediatric Society, Olivier Coutard, president of the scientific council of France's flagship scientific research centre CNRS and Gerard Socie, president of the scientific council of the National Cancer Institute. The Constitutional Council, the letter said, must protect future generations from the legislation that "without a shadow of reasonable doubt compromises the health of young people, children and the unborn". The letter said the Senate committee preparing the bill heard from agricultural unions and government agencies but not "doctors, toxicologists or epidemiologists". The senators did not consult representatives of the CNRS, health and labour ministries, even though occupational exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for humans, the letter said. Citing the INSERM health and medical research organisation, the letter pointed to evidence of a link between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of cancers, neurodegenerative, pulmonary and hormone-related disorders. Banned in France since 2018, the chemical remains legal in the European Union.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
French onion soup with bone marrow
While a steaming bowl of soup is one of the best meals to warm us up when cool weather sets in, there is also something nostalgic about this winter staple. Most of us have a favourite soup recipe or memory, whether it is a chunky cup next to the sport field, an elegant consommé on a special occasion or the healing properties of a wholesome bowl. Today's recipe, compliments of La Motte, is French onion soup with bone marrow. Prep time: 40 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Serves: 4-6 Ingredients 500g brown onions, peeled and thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 50ml salted butter 6 sprigs fresh thyme 4 large beef marrow bones 2 beef stock cubes Sea salt and black pepper 4 litres water 250ml dry red wine 1 baguette, sliced into rounds 200g grated Gruyère cheese Method Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with foil or baking paper and arrange the marrow bones on it. Season the bones with salt and pepper and roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until browned and the marrow is easily removed. Remove the bone marrow and set aside. Meanwhile, fry the onions and garlic in the butter over very low heat until softened and jammy. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Add the onions to a large soup pot along with the empty marrow bones. Pour over the water and crumble in the stock cube. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Pour in the red wine and cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove the marrow bones and discard. Dish the soup into oven-proof dishes. For the toasts, spread each baguette slice with a little bone marrow and top with grated Gruyère. Balance two slices on the corner of each soup bowl and place the bowls beneath the grill for a few minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve the soup immediately.
