By CASC4DE April 25, 2025
Générations Futures has published a detailed analysis on the emissions of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) by Installations Classées pour la Protection de l’Environnement (ICPE) in France (🔗Report). Based on data from nearly 2,700 industrial facilities, this report reveals concerning trends regarding the release of these persistent pollutants into the environment.
📊 Main Findings
- 3,900 industrial sites 🏭 are concerned by the decree of June 20, 2023, requiring PFAS monitoring campaigns (20 individual PFAS and total PFAS measured by AOF method).
- As of March 25th 2025, 2,685 ICPE have transmitted their three mandatory sampling campaigns.
- Nearly 60% (1,599 sites) have detected and quantified PFAS in their discharges.
- 146 sites (5.4% of ICPE) alone account for more than 99% of the total declared PFAS emissions.
- Among the 2,685 sites, 575 installations have measured PFAS in effluents directed towards urban wastewater treatment plants, which are not designed to treat PFAS. This presents a major risk of agricultural soil contamination through sludge spreading, with potential impacts on human food chains. 🚜🥬
- Certain regions are particularly affected: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Normandy, Grand Est, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. 🗺️
- 13 industrial sites are distinguished for emitting more than 25 g/day of PFAS or for having very high concentrations (>200 µg/L) in their discharges. 🧪
🌱 Environmental and Health Implications
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” due to their resistance to degradation in the environment. Their accumulation in ecosystems and living organisms poses serious risks:
- Soil and agricultural contamination through untreated sewage sludge,
- Bioaccumulation in food chains, potentially impacting human health,
- Adverse effects such as endocrine disruption, immune system impairment, and increased cancer risks.
Given their persistence and toxicity, the management of PFAS emissions is a major public health and environmental challenge.
🏛️ Call to Action
This investigation highlights the urgent need for:
- Strengthened regulatory frameworks and more stringent emission controls,
- Enhanced transparency in industrial reporting,
- A coordinated action plan to reduce PFAS emissions at the source.
👉 An interactive map and the full list of identified sites are available here: 🔗Access the resources