10/12/24 (Agence Europe) – A report published on Monday 9 December by the European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals the extent of pollution of European waters by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These “forever chemicals”, known for their persistence in the environment, are present in 59% of the sites monitored in rivers, 35% in lakes and 73% in transitional and coastal waters, exceeding environmental quality standards for PFOS, one of the 10,000 compounds in this group. The report highlights data gaps and calls for more precise analyses to assess the extent of this pollution, which threatens human health and the environment. These findings support the revision of the Water Framework Directive (see EUROPE 13538/2), which is essential to achieve good chemical status by 2027 and to realise the EU’s ambition of zero pollution by 2050. (FS)