PFAS, a class of over 10,000 synthetic "forever chemicals" used in everyday products, persist in the environment for centuries and have spread worldwide, contaminating water, soil and human blood.
Raphaëlle Aubert and Stéphane Horel report for Le Monde.
In short:
- PFAS, used in products like non-stick pans, waterproof clothing and firefighting foam, resist environmental breakdown due to their strong carbon-fluorine bonds.
- These chemicals have been linked to health issues, including cancer, hormonal disruption and weakened vaccine responses, with exposure often coming from drinking water, food and industrial emissions.
- Efforts to ban PFAS in Europe face industry lobbying, though regulatory proposals aim to address their widespread contamination.
Why this matters:
PFAS pollution impacts global public health and ecosystems, with vulnerable populations at greater risk from contaminated water and food sources. Without stronger regulation, millions of tons of PFAS could be released over the next decades, intensifying the crisis.
