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Residents of 'chemical valley' sue over alarming concentrations of compounds in blood tests: 'It's a disaster'
PFAS — officially called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are synthetic chemicals that have been used in products from cookware to plastic packaging for decades. You may know them as "forever chemicals."
Because these chemicals are slow to break down, they have contaminated the water, soil, and air around us, as well as entered people's bloodstreams.
As a result, lawsuits against companies using or creating these chemicals have been on the rise. According to the French news network RFI, one such lawsuit is currently being brought by residents of France's "chemical valley."
France's "chemical valley" is located on the outskirts of Lyon in the southern part of the country and is home to the Arkema and Daikin chemical factories, known for their significant PFAS emissions, according to RFI. The area is known as "chemical valley" because of its high concentration of manufacturers, per Euronews Green. It is possibly the most PFAS-polluted area in France.
Now, local residents have discovered alarmingly high amounts of PFAS in their bloodstreams, per RFI. Due to this and the health-related issues that have likely evolved from these forever chemicals — including reported cases of cancer and Parkinson's disease — roughly 400 residents are bringing a lawsuit against the chemical factories.
Resident Thierry Mounib told RFI: "There's the nursery school. We took samples from there. It's a disaster."
This mass lawsuit is the first civil lawsuit regarding PFAS contamination in France and could end up being the biggest case of its kind in Europe, said an expert quoted by RFI.
Because PFAS are in so many products, as well as in the water, soil, and air, they're practically impossible to avoid. In fact, PFAS are likely in most people's bloodstreams by this point.
Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to everything from a higher risk of certain cancers to interference with hormones to decreased fertility. The higher the amount of PFAS in one's system, the worse off one could be.
Mounib joined the mass lawsuit after his PFAS levels tested at 22.6 micrograms per liter of blood, which is 10 times the amount typically found in one's bloodstream, as RFI reported.
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He explained to the news outlet, "When you look at the grid provided by the laboratory, when you're above 20 you'll have health problems."
A recently passed law in France bans PFAS in shoes, many textiles, and cosmetics. It goes into effect in 2026.
While governments and companies can and should do more to protect people from the negative effects of forever chemicals, there are ways to limit your exposure to them in the meantime. Ditch plastic cookware and switch to glass or stainless steel, avoid reheating food in plastic takeout containers, try not to purchase items labeled as stain- or waterproof unless they explicitly say they are PFAS-free, and stay informed on the level of PFAS in your area.
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