an action plan to combat these toxic substances

New concern in the crosshairs of the Ministry of Transition: Pfas, “per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances”, better known as “eternal pollutants”. The government published an action plan on Tuesday, January 17, which aims to improve the identification, measurement and thus the reduction of emissions of these extremely persistent chemical substances in the environment, ultra-toxic to health.

Pfas have been widely used since the 1950s in various industrial sectors. They are found in many products (fire-fighting foams, phytosanitary products), especially in everyday life (Teflon stoves, textiles, cosmetics, etc.). Their use leads to contamination of natural environments (water, air, soil), with serious effects on health: cancers, consequences on the reproductive systems, reduction of the immune response, etc.

Soluble in water, Pfas can remain present in nature for a century, hence their name “eternal pollutants”, and they are found far from their emission sources. They can accumulate in living organisms, especially fish.

Recognize, quantify and reduce

Detailed in six lines of action, the government’s plan seeks to determine “maximum concentration values ​​to be respected in environments”. The project aims to increase “knowledge about discharges” and “their impregnation of environments”, as well as “significantly reduce emissions from industrial emitters”. A measure that echoes the revelations of the program “Envoyé Spécial”, in May 2022, on the massive presence of these pollutants on the Arkema site in Pierre-Bénite (Rhône). The ministry indicates that the latter will be “a forerunner of this approach to identifying and reducing Pfas releases”.

But for François Veillerette, spokesperson for the NGO Générations Futures (at the origin of a report on Pfas published last week), “this action plan is sorely lacking in ambition: nothing on fish monitoring , on the precision of the analysis methods… There is no concrete measure on the reduction of their use”.

Much more “cautious” measures than those proposed by four EU Member States (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden) and Norway, yet supported by France. They are calling for a much stricter framework for Pfas on a European scale, as part of the reform of the Reach regulation on chemical substances. The reform project will be known on February 7th.

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