Emilia Romagna: PFAS contamination in drinking water

Between September and October 2024, Greenpeace Italy surveyed the presence of PFAS (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances) in drinking water. The survey, entitled ‘Acque Senza Veleni’ (‘Pure Water Without Toxins’), involved the collection of samples in 235 Italian towns. The results showed that nearly 80% of the samples were contaminated with PFAS. The study was presented in Rome, where the first map of PFAS contamination in drinking water was unveiled. The most abundant molecules were the carcinogen PFOA (detected in 47% of samples), followed by the ultra-short-chain compound TFA (detected in 104 samples, 40% of the total, and present in larger quantities in all samples where it was detected) and the potential carcinogen PFOS (detected in 58 samples, 22% of the total). In Emilia-Romagna, the highest levels of PFAS were found in Ferrara, Comacchio, and Reggio Emilia, while Rimini and Riccione were among the 10 municipalities in the region with the highest levels of PFAS. PFAS are a group of multi-purpose chemicals used worldwide to waterproof textiles, paper, and coatings on food containers, as well as in producing photographic film, fire-fighting foams, and household detergents. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), they are extremely persistent in the environment and human bodies, with potential adverse health effects such as liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, fertility problems, and cancer.