The Générations futures association expressed concern on Tuesday about the levels of PFAS, "eternal pollutants", in water, including tap water, near a chemical factory in Gard, while recognizing that the establishment of the Solvay group was “on target” for discharge authorizations.
In September and November, the NGO took samples from 10 sites (seven surface water and three drinking water) around the Solvay factory in Salindres, near Alès, which notably manufactures substances per and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, better known as PFAS, whose properties are widely used in everyday consumer products, stoves, food packaging, waterproof textiles, automobiles or medicines.
11/ 🚨PFAS alert: PFAS pollution near Salindres 🔗 Download our full report on PFAS in Salindres: https://t.co/Tj2caqBD0T @ChristopheBechu @nthierry #StopPFAS
— Générations Futures (@genefutures) February 6, 2024
Analyzes from an approved laboratory revealed “exceptionally high concentrations” in particular of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and triflic acid, two products manufactured on the site, Pauline Cervan, toxicologist, indicated during a press briefing. to the NGO.
A European directive not yet transcribed into French law
In surface waters, significant traces of TFA and triflic acid were found in rivers up to twenty kilometers downstream from the plant.
If no trace of PFAS was detected in the drinking water of Salindres, captured “very upstream” of the plant, concentrations of PFAS more than 35 times above the quality standard provided for by a European directive were recorded in the water of the localities of Boucoiran and Moussac, about twenty km downstream, on the edge of the Gard.
This directive has not yet been transcribed into French law, and the factory's discharges remain "perfectly within the framework" of a 2017 prefectural decree concerning this factory classified as "Seveso high threshold", recognized Pauline Cervan.
A complaint filed for “attack on fish”
François Veillerette, director of the NGO, however, considered that these authorized thresholds were “very high” and called for a “reduction in authorized discharges” and the establishment of increased and regular monitoring of drinking water.
Lawyer François Lafforgue, for his part, announced the filing of complaints against would be respected.
Also read: Eternal pollutants: 23 highly contaminated sites in Île-de-France and Oise
“Solvay is perfectly in line with the regulations in force, (…) while respecting health and the environment,” reacted the Belgian group to AFP, specifying that “preserving the health of employees and of our residents remains the absolute priority.”
“TFA and its derivatives are fluorinated organic compounds classified as PFAS, (…) however they contain very few carbon atoms and are not known to accumulate in the human body,” says Solvay.