Eleven former executives of the Italian chemical company Miteni have been sentenced to a total of 141 years in jail, after they were found guilty of polluting the water and soil in a 100 square kilometre area of Northern Italy with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS are a group of over 10,000 highly persistent chemicals. They are also known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they can take generations to break down in the environment. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to numerous adverse health impacts, such as certain cancers, reduced fertility, and the disruption of the immune system.

The Miteni plant, which was located in Trissino and is now closed, had been leaching PFAS into the surrounding groundwater, which subsequently ended up in drinking water. This led to over 350,000 citizens from 21 local towns being exposed to the substances. The 11 former executives were handed sentences of up to 17 years, while four other defendants were acquitted.

Tests of residents’ blood had found levels of a PFAS called PFOA far higher than the threshold set by Italy’s National Health Institute. A 2024 study found that 4,000 excess deaths had been recorded in the area, from causes such as malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, a historic ruling by the Court of Vicenza in May recognised a causal link between the 2014 death of a Miteni employee and prolonged exposure to PFAS.

Over 200 citizens were involved in bringing the suit, including members of the grassroots group Mamme no PFAS and former Miteni employees. The court ordered that each of the citizens be paid a total of €50,000 in compensation fees. Municipalities, environmental organisations, and local and national authorities are also set to receive financial compensation.

Mamme No PFAS, a group of parents concerned about their children’s exposure to PFAS, said this ruling sets a new precedent for similar cases in Italy and around the world. They are calling for an EU-wide universal PFAS restriction, as well as national legislation in Italy imposing a near-zero limit on PFAS levels in drinking water.

CHEM Trust supports the universal PFAS restriction and the ban on PFAS pesticides, as well as the call for alternatives, many of which are either already available or in development.

Read more about the universal PFAS restriction here.

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