PFAS pollution: the government has posted a map of water analysis results online
By The New Obs with AFP
2.3 million analyses of PFAS releases into water have been put online and brought together on a single platform. FREDERIC DIDES/SIPA
Analyses of the presence of PFAS or "eternal pollutants" in water are now freely available on an online map , the Ministry of Ecological Transition announced on the evening of Thursday, July 31.
"2.3 million analyses relating to PFAS releases into water are now online and gathered on a single platform. In total transparency, this open data publication is an unprecedented gesture in France and in Europe," the ministry said in a press release.
The map provides access to a monitoring map of PFAS in groundwater, surface water, and tap water, as well as in industrial sites. This publication follows an action plan announced by the government in April 2024.
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PFAS, for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “eternal pollutants”, can have harmful effects on human health: increased cholesterol levels, cancers, effects on fertility and fetal development, etc.
Ban PFAS in everyday objectsWidely used in industry since the mid- 20th century, for example to make non-stick pans, waterproof clothing or cosmetics, they are extremely difficult to eliminate once present in water or soil.
Their presence sometimes leads to a ban on the consumption of tap water , as recently in certain municipalities in the Meuse and Ardennes after the detection of abnormal levels.
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