Developed over 80 years ago for their indestructible qualities, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are now inescapable.

From kitchenware to drinking water, and even in the entire food chain, these synthetic chemicals with variants in their tens of thousands, are piling up in our environment and posing a serious health threat. With over 2,300 contamination ‘hot spots’ across Europe, the risk to our bodies is real. For the last decade, the EU has been trying to regulate their use, but the industrial sector is pushing back, using economic arguments to maintain the status quo.

This interview is produced by ARTE and distributed in nine languages thanks to the Emove Hub project. Participating media outlets include EL PAÍS (Spain), Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Internazionale (Italy), Ir (Latvia), Kathimerini (Greece), Le Soir (Belgium) and Telex (Hungary). Each receive funding from the European Union under the European Media Hubs call, led by the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect).