12.02.2025 | Fundamental right
PFAS are everywhere, but nowhere as concentrated as in our region. They pollute air, water and soil and permanently accumulate in our bodies. It is certain that they pose a danger to our health and the environment, but they are still widely used in consumer products and industry. Every day without a ban, the solutions become more difficult and expensive. 39 mutualities, environmental organisations and citizen associations therefore ask the government: intervene today, and prevent further damage.
Since the late 1940s, the use of PFAS in various industrial applications and consumer products has led to large-scale contamination. Forever Pollution Project found PFAS contamination in as many as 23,000 places in Europe – and no region has such high contamination levels as Belgium. But in addition to this high environmental exposure, PFAS-containing consumer products, food packaging, and contaminated drinking water and food also contribute to higher exposure. A recent European Biomonitoring Study found PFAS in the blood of every individual examined.
Scientists have been warning about the dangers of these 'forever chemicals' for years. PFAS disrupt the immune system and hormone balance, damage the liver and thyroid, and are linked to an increased risk of cancer and other serious diseases. Research is increasingly revealing risks. That's why it's crucial to put our public health first.
As long as we do not stop the use and spread of PFAS, the costs for public health and environmental clean-up will continue to rise. It is estimated that exposure to PFAS in Europe leads to annual health costs of 52 to 84 billion euros. Recently it made Forever Lobbying Project for the first time known what it will cost to clean up Europe: 2 trillion euros for the next 20 years, or 100 billion euros per year. Only turning off the PFAS tap can prevent further additional costs for people and the environment.
PFAS is a group of more than 10,000 substances. Yet only a few are regulated at a global level. The proposal for a European ban on PFAS, submitted to ECHA by five European countries two years ago, offers a way out. However, this process has already been delayed, and it is unclear when the proposal will become law. The Forever Lobbying Project revealed how the PFAS industry is trying to undermine the proposal through a massive lobbying and disinformation campaign. Furthermore, due to the long transition periods, the restrictions would probably not apply until 2029 at the earliest. More than ever, it is important that Belgium continues to speak out in favor of a European ban on PFAS. Now that there is a risk that the new European Commission will put industrial interests above public health, we call on everyone to ensure that it puts human and environmental health at the heart of its PFAS policy.
Belgium does not have to wait for a European ban, but can take action today to protect its citizens. Safe alternatives to PFAS in consumer products are already available. An effective substitution and phase-out plan can stimulate innovation and accelerate the phase-out of PFAS. Companies that develop and market these safe alternatives must receive the necessary support from the government. At the same time, polluters must be held responsible. The polluter pays principle must guide the establishment of an industry fund to cover the costs of remediation.
Following the PFAS crisis in 2021, Flanders has taken important steps towards an effective PFAS policy. It is now essential that the PFAS action plan and the vision for Substances of Concern are rolled out as soon as possible into a fully-fledged policy plan that focuses on human and environmental health. Tackling pollution hotspots, preventing the further spread of PFAS and protecting affected communities are also crucial. In addition, Flanders must continue to work on the list of substances of concern that will be phased out as a priority by 2030.
Due to the scale of the PFAS crisis, cooperation between the different regions is absolutely necessary. For example, the fact that Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region would apply very different standards for TFA in drinking water is absurd. Structural cooperation, in the form of a federal action plan for PFAS, must put an end to this and establish a single framework.
We deserve a safe living environment. The government has an important responsibility to protect public health and the quality of our living environment. We urge to continue to advocate for a ban on PFAS at European level and at the same time to work on a national substitution and phase-out plan for PFAS in consumer products. Closing the PFAS tap today is the only responsible decision for the coming years.
Source:
English 
Nederlands (België)