PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' Contaminate Over 23,000 Sites in Europe; EU Agency Urges Ban
New mapping reveals over 23,000 locations across Europe contaminated with PFAS, the so-called 'forever chemicals' that persist indefinitely. Used in everyday products like frying pans, lipstick, and pizza boxes, PFAS migrate from cookware to wastewater, from groundwater to drinking water, and eventually into human blood and organs. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) deems existing regulations inadequate and urges a ban. Questions remain about the true health risks and whether continent-wide contamination can be reversed. The abbreviation stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, industrial chemicals once hailed as miraculous but now a pollution crisis. The map illustrates the widespread nature of the contamination, underscoring the urgency of regulatory action.
Key facts
- Over 23,000 places in Europe are contaminated with PFAS.
- PFAS are known as 'forever chemicals' because they do not break down.
- The chemicals are found in frying pans, lipstick, pizza boxes, and breast milk.
- PFAS travel from cookware to wastewater, from groundwater to drinking water, and into human bodies.
- The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) considers current regulations insufficient.
- ECHA is pushing for a ban on PFAS.
- PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
- The contamination has spread across the entire continent, raising questions about whether it can be stopped.
Entities
Institutions
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Locations
- Europe