A report from Générations Futures, an environmental defense association, unveiled this Tuesday, February 6, alert on “very significant pollution of aquatic environments” near a Solvay group factory, in Salindres, in the Gard. In question, the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemical substances, also called “eternal pollutants”. According to the NGO’s records, a pollutant, TFA would also be present in drinking water of two surrounding communes, Boucoiran-et-Nozières and Moussac.
Eternal pollutants: “very significant pollution of aquatic environments”, near a factory in Gard
As part of this work, the NGO analyzed the surface water and drinking water located in the surroundings of the Salindres chemical platform in the Gard. “The Salindres chemical platform includes, among other things, one of the five PFAS producing factories in France, belonging to the Solvay group”, can we read in the report. While the NGO regrets “lack of information” on the presence of eternal pollutants, the latter decided to carry out their own analysis.
To do this, they took seven samples of surface water from water points and three samples of drinking water in three cities. Three rivers were studied: the Arias, the Avène and the Gardon. Then, they looked more specifically for the presence of 28 PFAS. “We particularly targeted substances manufactured by Solvay on this site, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and triflic acid. We also researched the 20 PFAS to monitor in drinking water according to the European Directive”details the NGO.
These results are “without appeal and show a very significant pollution of aquatic environments by substances manufactured by Solvay”, write the authors. The latter noted “very high” TFA contents in the factory discharge and in the environment, reaching concentrations of 7.6 mg/L in the discharge. As for surface water, levels are between 6.5 and 7.5 mg/L.
“For comparison, TFA concentrations of 0.14 mg/L found in 2015 in the Neckar river in Germany immediately alerted the German agency UBA (theFederal Environment Agency editor’s note)which then undertook a vast measurement campaign in order to identify the source (another Solvay factory) and take measures to limit releases. detail the NGO.
PFAS: levels “very worrying” in the drinking water of two municipalities in Gard
As for the drinking water samples taken in three municipalities, the OGN qualifies the results of the analyzes of the municipalities as Boucoiran-et-Nozières et Moussac of“very worrying”. Indeed, the NGO notes that ‘TFA is found in the drinking water of these two cities at concentrations of 19 µg/L and 18 µg/L, i.e. concentrations 38 and 36 times higher than a European standard applicable to all perfluorinated substances”.
But what are the health risks? At present, “he is very difficult to know the health impacts such concentrations in drinking water.” Faced with these results, the NGO says it wants to contact Anses “in order to seek the opinion of their experts regarding the impact on ecosystems and human health of TFA and triflic acid”. In addition, the NGO is considering filing a complaint.
“Solvay is perfectly in line with the regulations in force”, defends the Belgian group
The Belgian group reacted to AFP by saying that “Solvay is perfectly in line with the regulations in force, (…) while respecting health and the environment”, and underlines to AFP that “preserving the health of employees and our local residents remains the absolute priority”. The latter added to AFP that “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”.
Sources :
- PFAS report – Contamination of water by “eternal pollutants” in Salindres – Générations Futures February 2024
- AFP
