{"id":116956,"date":"2025-01-30T09:05:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T08:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=116956"},"modified":"2025-01-30T09:06:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T08:06:25","slug":"pfas-pollution-affected-communities-demand-to-be-heard-by-ursula-von-der-leyen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/en\/pfas-pollution-affected-communities-demand-to-be-heard-by-ursula-von-der-leyen\/","title":{"rendered":"PFAS pollution-affected communities demand to be heard by Ursula von der Leyen"},"content":{"rendered":"

PFAS-affected communities from France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands [1], supported by the <\/b>European Environmental Bureau<\/b><\/a> and <\/b>WeMove Europe<\/b><\/a>, are <\/b>urgently requesting a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cPFAS pollution has had devastating consequences, harming people\u2019s health and the environment. We want to present our firsthand testimonies directly to the President of the European Commission to urge immediate action on chemicals legislation\u201d, <\/span><\/i>says PFAS-affected communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PFAS, also known as \u201cforever chemicals\u201d are linked to cancer, infertility, thyroid disease, obesity, immune system suppression and many more disorders. PFAS have been dubbed by scientists, regulators, and civil society as the \u201cpoison of the century\u201d for people and the environment. This pollution is considered the \u2018<\/span>worst pollution crisis humanity has ever faced<\/span><\/a>\u2019 [2].<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In response to recent alarming findings by the <\/span>Forever Lobbying Project<\/span><\/a>, which expose how the <\/span>PFAS industry<\/span><\/a> has, for decades, successfully lobbied to delay and weaken necessary regulations on these highly hazardous chemicals, jeopardizing the health and well-being of all Europeans. Affected communities across Europe are mobilising, demanding a ban on PFAS through a week of action [3]<\/strong>:<\/span> pouring buckets of contaminated soil at Chemours\u2019 doorstep in Dordrecht (Netherlands)<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>distributing PFAS contaminated beers handed out to workers at chemical factories in Zwijndrecht (Belgium)<\/span><\/a>, and camping in front of the court during <\/span>Miteni <\/span>trial in Vicenza (Italy).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Joop Keesmaat, from Sliedrecht (The Netherlands), <\/b>Stop PFAS Stop Chemours<\/b><\/a>, states: <\/b>\u201c<\/span>Chemical industry claims a human future is not possible without PFAS. However, with PFAS a human future is not possible at all because PFAS causes cancer, and cancer causes death!<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Toon Penen, from Zwijndrecht (Belgium), <\/b>Grondrecht<\/b><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>states:<\/b> \u201c<\/span>I\u2019ve seen firsthand how PFAS pollution has impacted our health, our environment, and our future. Together with Grondrecht vzw, we are demanding real action: remediation, transparency, and accountability. This is not just a local issue\u2014it\u2019s a national and European crisis. We need stronger regulations and immediate action to protect communities like ours across Europe<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cristina Cola, from Trissino province of Vicenza (Italy), <\/b>Mammenopfas<\/b><\/a>, states<\/b>: \u201c<\/span>I could never have imagined that my children would have carcinogenic substances in their blood just for drinking the water from the <\/span><\/i>aquifer <\/span>or eating the food of our territory. I find it unacceptable that the profit of a few has caused disastrous consequences for the health of at least 350,000 people and ruined forever the environment in which we live<\/span><\/i>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not the first time that victims of PFAS pollution have sought dialogue with the European Commission. In October 2023, <\/span>a previous request for a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen went unanswered<\/span><\/a>. Determined to have their voices heard, PFAS-affected communities took a bold step last night by projecting a large banner onto the facade of the Berlaymont building. The message read: BAN PFAS. <\/span>[<\/b>pictures available here<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>here<\/b><\/a>]<\/span><\/p>\n

ENDS<\/span><\/p>\n

CONTACT INFORMATION<\/span><\/p>\n