Fish, offal, cereal and eggs are also contaminated by forever chemicals
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), food is the main route of exposure to forever chemicals for the public. Yet, unlike drinking water, there remains a significant lack of data on the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foodstuffs. A report published on Thursday, June 19, by the advocacy group Future Generations addresses this gap. It reveals near-universal contamination throughout the food chain and found that current regulations are inadequate, allowing PFAS concentrations in food that are far too high compared to risk thresholds established by the EFSA.
Other research carried out by the Austrian advocacy group Global 2000 and the Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) indicated that this is only the tip of the iceberg. The most widespread forever chemical − trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) − is not being monitored, despite strong suspicions of its reproductive toxicity and its presence in commonly consumed foods such as bread, pasta and breakfast cereal − sometimes at astonishing levels.
Currently, only three substances (PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS) from the large PFAS family are subject to mandatory monitoring in food (compared to 20 in drinking water), and four (including PFNA) are subject to regulatory limits. Even then, these limits apply only to a small number of foodstuffs that do not cover the entire diet: meat, fish, shellfish, mollusks and eggs. For fruit, vegetables, cereal or dairy products, there are no regulatory limits. More surprisingly, the advocacy group noted, "there are also no regulatory limits concerning food for infants and young children, who are particularly vulnerable."
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Local France
2 days ago
- Local France
Why Vienna is Europe's hidden gem for life sciences
With its impressive architecture and coffee house-lined streets, Vienna is a city like no other. Situated on the banks of the Danube, it is steeped in history and has long been a cultural capital of Europe. These days, however, the city is just as defined by its future as its past. Thanks to forward-thinking research centres, top-ranked universities and an expanding base of life sciences companies, Vienna is a rising powerhouse in biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical research. With its impressive architecture and coffee house-lined streets, Vienna is a city like no other. Situated on the banks of the Danube, it is steeped in history and has long been a cultural capital of Europe. These days, however, the city is just as defined by its future as its past. Thanks to forward-thinking research centres, top-ranked universities and an expanding base of life sciences companies, Vienna is a rising powerhouse in biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical research. Morning in Vienna's city centre, home to a growing community of global researchers 'Life sciences are one of Vienna's key drivers of innovation,' said Dominic Weiss, Managing Director of the Vienna Business Agency, which supports the ecosystem through funding programs, location scouting and other expert support, such as immigration advice. 'Over many years, life sciences companies ranging from international pharmaceutical giants to startups working on the bleeding edge of technology have repeatedly chosen to move to, invest and expand in this city, collaborating with local universities to create an internationally competitive hub that produces game-changing therapies, devices and diagnostic tools.' The sector is made up of over 750 organisations, generating about €22.7 billion a year. The vast majority of revenue – just over 80 percent – stems from the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors alone. More than 49,000 people currently work in life sciences – and the numbers are rising as ever more international experts are drawn into the ecosystem. 'Part of what makes Vienna an attractive location for life science companies is that the city combines an excellent research landscape and university talent pool with a great deal of attractiveness for top international researchers and executives,' Weiss added. 'Moving to Vienna is not a hard sell.' Combining top-ranked livability, affordability and a strong work-life balance, it's no wonder that international researchers and entrepreneurs are choosing to call Vienna home. In fact, around 40 percent of the Austrian capital's two million residents were born abroad, giving the city a truly diverse feel. Discover how Vienna is welcoming international researchers Thriving life sciences hub Some of the world's top life science firms – including pharma giants Takeda, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis – have offices in Vienna. Meanwhile, cutting-edge research institutions working on everything from tissue regeneration and cancer therapies to prosthetics are well established in the Austrian capital. What really sets Vienna apart is how closely connected this ecosystem is. Research labs, clinical research facilities and companies are often within walking distance of each other. 'This spatial density creates collaboration opportunities and translational potential that researchers find on par with top global locations,' says Dr Michael Stampfer, Managing Director of the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF). Groundbreaking research is underway in facilities such as the Vienna BioCenter, which has more than 2,000 scientists covering fields like cancer biology, immunology, and RNA therapeutics. One standout project is US biochemist Elly Tanaka's work in regeneration biology. By studying animals that can regrow limbs and tissues, Tanaka's lab at the IMP is researching potential treatments for human diseases. And the city isn't slowing down. The soon-to-launch AITHYRA Institute, a revolutionary research hub for biomedical AI, will be one of the first of its kind in Europe. With Michael Bronstein, DeepMind Professor of AI at the University of Oxford, at the helm, the institute will bring together experts and apply state-of-the-art technology to better understand diseases, speed up diagnoses, and help develop new treatments. Dr Stampfer sees this growth as part of a larger trend. He describes Vienna's life sciences sector as being 'on a qualitative and quantitative growth course', which means there are 'lots of attractive positions available' for international talent. Explore research institutes and opportunities in Vienna Young pharmacy researchers. Supportive community and funding opportunities Moving to a new country can feel daunting but there is plenty of support for newcomers. The Vienna Business Agency offers free consultations, events and guidance to researchers and entrepreneurs on everything from funding applications to finding a flat. Support is also available at the WWTF, which provides research funding as well as a Dual Career Service to assist researchers and their partners in settling in Vienna. According to Dr Stampfer, researchers are 'pleasantly surprised by our comprehensive support system for international scientists and the efficiency of our funding administration'. LISAvienna, the city's life sciences platform, offers targeted support for biotech and digital health startups, including help with grants, contacts and networking. Vienna is also gaining recognition on the global stage. Researchers are publishing in prestigious journals, while centres such as the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), are winning competitive European Research Council grants. 'We also witness an expanding life sciences startup ecosystem, and venture capital funds taking a closer look at what is happening in Vienna,' Dr Stampfer adds. Meanwhile, international recruitment is strong, particularly among early-career scientists. This can be seen in initiatives such as the WWTF's Vienna Research Groups programme. Dr Stampfer says the rising number of young people coming to Vienna 'creates a vibrant research environment with fresh perspectives'. Working in one of Vienna's many welcoming cafés. Life beyond the lab Science isn't the only reason for choosing Wien. The city is regularly crowned one of the most liveable in the world due to its excellent infrastructure, healthcare, cultural scene and green space. Residents enjoy affordable and efficient public transport alongside family-friendly policies like free childcare for young children. Vienna's international connections are another advantage. Thanks to a major airport and fast train links it's easy to travel around Europe or further afield. 'The central European location and rich cultural landscape exceed expectations, even for those with high initial hopes,' says Dr Stampfer. Of course, there is the odd Viennese quirk. 'Researchers might be a little surprised by the playful grumpiness of our local coffee house waiters – and the many urban legends around it,' adds Dr Stampfer. 'But this is something people get used to quickly.' 'Building the future' From Freud's psychoanalysis to Schrödinger's quantum theory, Vienna has long attracted brilliant minds. That tradition has continued with major contributions to fields such as gene editing, attosecond physics and quantum entanglement. Now, new projects in digital medicine and AI-driven health research are opening up even more possibilities. With centres like AITHYRA on the horizon, a flourishing startup scene and a growing international community, Vienna is quickly becoming the top choice for researchers and entrepreneurs looking for a European base. Through the platform ViennaBusiness, the city is now offering expert consultations and other support to international researchers and life-science companies interested in exploring the city. 'It's exciting to see great minds flourish in Vienna,' says Dr Stampfer. 'We are building the future here.' Vienna: Discover a city where your research can thrive – and life beyond the lab is just as rewarding.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Toxic threat from 'forever chemicals' sparks resistance in Georgia towns
Instead, it may be poisoning them. Tests show their spring water is laced with toxic "forever chemicals" at levels tens of thousands of times above federal safety guidelines, likely from nearby carpet factories. "It scares us," said Sasha, a 38-year-old dispatcher whose husband drives long hauls across the country. She's worried about their five children, two-year-old granddaughter, and a grandson due in October. PFAS -- or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances -- are a group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals that repel heat, water, oil, and stains. Developed in the 1940s, they're still used in nonstick pans, firefighting foams and stain-proof carpets, yet are now linked to hormonal disruption, immune suppression and cancers. Their ultra-tough carbon-fluorine bonds take millennia to break down in the environment, linger in bodies for years, and are now found in the blood of nearly every living creature on Earth. – 'Carpet capital of world' – Here in Dalton, Georgia, which calls itself the "Carpet Capital of the World," mills run by giants Mohawk Industries and Shaw Industries are widely blamed for making the region one of America's most PFAS-laden. They're accused of spewing the chemicals into the air, flushing them into sewers unequipped to remove them, and indirectly contaminating farmland through sludge byproducts later spread as fertilizer. The Cordles have joined other landowners in suing the carpet makers, seeking damages to "remediate" their properties -- a process they estimate could cost about $1 million per acre -- plus punitive damages. Mohawk, Shaw, and chemical giant 3M declined to comment on the complaint. Chemical maker Chemours, another chemical maker and defendant, says it has no factories in Georgia and denies culpability. In a complex web of lawsuits, Dalton Utilities, which manages the local water system, has also sued the carpet makers, while Mohawk has sued 3M over the same issue. The Biden administration last year enacted the first enforceable national drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals. But under President Donald Trump, the federal government has since rolled back limits on four of the chemicals and delayed the compliance deadline for the remaining two. Test cases Meanwhile, the Cordles have seen alarming signs, in both humans and animals. Sasha, who moved to the property after marrying Jamie in 2020, soon developed two autoimmune conditions, as well as high blood pressure and chronic fatigue. "Sometimes getting out of bed, I feel like I'm 80," she said. Her grown children also report various ailments -- and some goat kids didn't survive their birth defects. Attorney Ben Finley is leading a wave of damages claims, recruiting new clients at buoyant town halls. So far, his firm has filed suits for 18 lead plaintiffs. "We're drawing a direct line between contamination, lost property value and cleanup cost," Finley said. – Entering the food web – While the lawyers work the crowds, water expert Bob Bowcock takes water, soil and dust samples to help build the scientific case behind the legal one. "We've got springs emitting into ponds that are discharging to creeks at over 180,000 parts per trillion," he said. The national guideline for drinking water is just four parts per trillion, and local creeks are often seen frothing with pollution. PFAS in the soil move up the protein chain and into the food web -- contaminating eggs, milk, beef, and leafy greens that find themselves on store shelves nationwide. The carpet makers are the area's main economic lifeline, yet many are now turning against them. Mary Janet Clark, 62, toiled for the carpet makers, had her ovaries removed after cancer, and now has a tumor in her brain. "We helped them build their business and make all that money," said her son, David Wray, 40. "It's just cruel." – Lost dreams – Others share similar grief. Human-resources manager Teresa Ensley, 57, lost her brother, father and husband to cancer in just a few years. Studies have linked PFAS to elevated colon cancer rates, the disease that killed her brother and husband. She and her 81-year-old mother both suffer severe thyroid problems and have had hysterectomies. Even for those not yet sick, the toll is palpable. Greg and Sharon Eads hoped to retire on farmland they bought in 2019, but it has since tested hot for PFAS, unraveling their dream. They own $50,000 worth of cattle now off-limits for milk or meat. It's become "basically a petting zoo," said Greg. "I can't do anything with them, not in good conscience." During a recent visit, the couple led AFP through bucolic pastures where the herd huddled around a healthy newborn calf -- a welcome moment of hope after several others were lost to deformities.
LeMonde
3 days ago
- LeMonde
Fish, offal, cereal and eggs are also contaminated by forever chemicals
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), food is the main route of exposure to forever chemicals for the public. Yet, unlike drinking water, there remains a significant lack of data on the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foodstuffs. A report published on Thursday, June 19, by the advocacy group Future Generations addresses this gap. It reveals near-universal contamination throughout the food chain and found that current regulations are inadequate, allowing PFAS concentrations in food that are far too high compared to risk thresholds established by the EFSA. Other research carried out by the Austrian advocacy group Global 2000 and the Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) indicated that this is only the tip of the iceberg. The most widespread forever chemical − trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) − is not being monitored, despite strong suspicions of its reproductive toxicity and its presence in commonly consumed foods such as bread, pasta and breakfast cereal − sometimes at astonishing levels. Currently, only three substances (PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS) from the large PFAS family are subject to mandatory monitoring in food (compared to 20 in drinking water), and four (including PFNA) are subject to regulatory limits. Even then, these limits apply only to a small number of foodstuffs that do not cover the entire diet: meat, fish, shellfish, mollusks and eggs. For fruit, vegetables, cereal or dairy products, there are no regulatory limits. More surprisingly, the advocacy group noted, "there are also no regulatory limits concerning food for infants and young children, who are particularly vulnerable."
