Communities affected by PFAS pollution across Europe have been mobilising to seek justice and call on EU decision makers to take action on the widespread pollution crisis.

PFAS pollution is continuing to cause scandals across Europe. From concerning levels in drinking water to residents being told not to eat homegrown produce, increasing numbers of communities are now seeking justice.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 10,000 chemicals, also known as the ‘forever chemicals’, as they are highly persistent and take generations to break down in the environment. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked with adverse health impacts, including certain cancers, reduced fertility, and the disruption of the immune system.

In March, 26 residents from PFAS contamination hotspots across Europe gathered in front of the European Commission in Brussels in what was described as a “historic moment in the fight for a PFAS ban”. This cross-European initiative, organised by the European Environment Bureau, empowered affected citizens to turn their experiences into political action.

In a powerful joint statement to decision makers, 12 community groups representing victims of PFAS pollution, together with civil society organisations from across the EU, spoke out against plans to deregulate the European chemical industry, warning that these could harm people’s health and fundamental rights. The joint statement calls for democratic debates leading to strong restrictions of PFAS, as well as reform and strict enforcement of REACH, the EU’s main chemical regulatory framework. 

“We demand protection. We demand that people—rather than economic profits—be prioritised. Our health, our children, and our territories cannot wait”, they write. 

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in legal cases targeting forever chemicals and those responsible for their pollution in Europe, with around 50 new cases launched since 2023, including roughly 20 since 2025.  Two of these have resulted in landmark rulings.

In December 2023, Sweden’s Supreme Court delivered a historic ruling, stating that the contamination of residents’ bodies caused by polluted tap water from firefighting foams must be considered “personal injury”. Additionally, in June 2025, a court in Vicenza sentenced 11 former executives and managers of the chemical factory Miteni to a combined 141 years in prison.

However, legal proceedings are a final step in  seeking justice, when the damage has already been done. Many communities are campaigning to turn off the tap on PFAS to help protect future generations.

The EU is currently considering a universal PFAS restriction, which would apply to all PFAS and control pollution at the source once introduced. CHEM Trust supports this proposal to better protect people and the planet.

These actions by people across Europe have been documented in a series of articles in Le Monde. Read more about the following: victim testimonies, legal cases in Europe, political action, and the joint statement.

Read more about the universal PFAS restriction here.

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