The NGO conducted sampling at 10 sites around the Solvay factory in Salindres, which manufactures per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) widely used in consumer products such as cookware, food packaging, waterproof textiles, and medications. The tests revealed exceptionally high concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and triflic acid, both manufactured at the site. Significant traces of these substances were found in surface water up to 20 kilometers downstream of the factory. While no PFAS traces were detected in Salindres’ drinking water, elevated PFAS levels were found in the water of Boucoiran and Moussac, about 20 kilometers downstream, prompting calls for reduced authorized discharges and increased water monitoring.
Legal actions have been announced for damage to fish and aggravated water pollution, despite Solvay’s claim that TFA and its derivatives, while classified as PFAS, contain very few carbon atoms and are not known to accumulate in the human body.