PFAS: How the Charente hunts the eternal pollutants

Also known as “perennial pollutants,” PFAS are what the smartphone has become for the environment and modern man. Jacques Brie of UFC Que Choisir Charente confirms, “We don’t divide it like that. “They are called eternal because they have little or no impact on the environment, a …

Also known as “perennial pollutants,” PFAS are what the smartphone has become for the environment and modern man. Jacques Brie of UFC Que Choisir Charente affirms, “We don’t divide it like that. “They are called eternal because they decompose little or not in the environment, including a body, and therefore continue to inject their toxins.” Higher risks of cancer, fertility changes, disturbances of the thyroid and liver. According to a 2020 Public Health France study, 100% of adults and children are already contaminated with two PFASs classified as carcinogenic.

Industrial emissions are a major source of PFAS contamination

“Industrial discharges are the main PFAS pollutant in the environment,” explains Mickaël Thebault, Head of the Drinking Water Department at Charente Eaux. Launched a year ago, a national campaign to analyze PFAS in these discharges ended two weeks ago. The results will enable regulation to reduce their presence in the environment.

In Charente, seven industrial sites (1) participated, such as Everglass, a domestic glass processing factory in Chateaubernard. “Our mechanical process does not produce PFAS, but we found some in the wastewater. So they could come from the collected household glass waste,” underlines Nicolas Le Feuvre, director of glass recycling at Veralia.

At Valoparc, at the Sainte-Sévère waste treatment site, “we also discovered some,” confirms François Filippi, general director of Calitom services. “Out of the 23 PFASs searched for, two were identified even after the treatments and filtration of our residual juices. But that’s not surprising, because they are everywhere in our waste,” he affirms, although noting that the detected amounts are small. They have nothing to do with those found in the “Chemical Valley” south of Lyon. “The Charente is less affected because there is no industry that emits these pollutants,” continues Jacques Pré.

In Charente Eaux, we anticipate the fact that from January 1, 2026, health tests of water for human consumption will include testing for 20 PFAS. “Today, no one has been searched, but at the end of 2024 we are going to start a large analytical study of all sampled water bodies,” warns Michael Thebault. “Although most of it is supplied to us by groundwater, the chances of finding some are high. The question then becomes defining tolerance limits for human health.

“Identification of polluters is done with the usual refrain of ‘It’s not me, it’s someone else’.”

For Pierre-Michel Périnaud, doctor in Limoges and president of the Alerte des médecins sur les pesticides association, “If we don’t classify these thousands of PFASs into a single family, it will be ruined. The study of the toxicity of each of them, then the definition of the limits, then the identification of the sources of pollution based on the usual refrain “It’s not me, it’s the other”, all this will take decades. However, given the health dimension of the issue, we don’t have that time ahead of us.

Towards an explosion of bills?

According to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Health Agency, restrictions on water distributed in the cognac industry are expected from 2025, in which the first measurements have revealed the presence of PFAS. “Our concern is to find them in the water bodies along the river. The Cognac area, downstream, is more exposed,” continues Michel Thébault, although he points out that the activated carbon treatment technologies used today are effective.

“They are, but the stations are measured according to specifications at a certain time,” warns Sandrin Barotin, director of the Water Technology Center in Limoges. “Communities already have to deal with pesticide metabolites, and if we have to deal with PFAS in addition, it’s going to cost more.” Also raise domestic water consumption charges.

With its study, Charente Eaux hopes to “move forward” its commitments to 2026.

(1) Ahlstrom Specialties in Saint-Séverin, Everglass in Châteaubernard, Suez Chemicals in Oriolles, Revico in Saint-Laurent-de-Cognac, Adler Pelzer in Mornac, Valoparc in Sainte-Sévère, and Lafaye in Pond’or.

PFAS-free living, instructions for use

Here are some practical tips to protect yourself from it. For cooking, it is preferable to choose non-stick cookware made of ceramic, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, copper, iron or glass. Although some of these materials have other drawbacks, stainless steel seems flawless. It is a good reflex to rinse your new clothes before putting them on. Be careful with cosmetics and household products. Support those with products of natural origin. Finally, following waste sorting procedures can also help control the spread of PFAS.

Careful consumers and firefighters

“Over 80% of our customers have opted for stainless steel ovens in the last year », explains Sonia Magnant, manager of La table parisienne store in Soyaux, which sells kitchen utensils. “And we try to bring only certified PFAS-free products. When we can’t, we mention it on the label. »For firefighters, we play it safe. Especially exposed to PFAS in waterproofing products and firefighting foams, they recently called for legislation on this matter. “Firefighting “We are phasing out fluorinated emulsifiers in machines,” the department’s Fire and Rescue Service said, “and we plan to ban its use within a year.”