Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001846/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Catarina Martins (The Left)
PFAS represent a significant environmental challenge. Current studies consistently demonstrate that these persistent and mobile pollutants contaminate various environmental compartments. Numerous contamination cases have been reported near Brussels in Belgium, severely affecting water supply due to groundwater contamination.
The contamination of groundwater, surface water and oceans already incurs substantial public health costs due to the toxicity of these substances. Soils are the primary recipients of PFAS contamination, yet research efforts under the Horizon Europe programme, namely the mission soil initiative, are notably lacking.
- 1.How is the Commission planning to address this problem, and which concrete steps will it take to develop the methodological and analytical capabilities of the EU research centres?
- 2.Does the Commission intend to make an inventory of current soil contamination across Europe, which is essential for taking necessary action?
- 3.Given the high level of toxicity of these chemicals, does the Commission envisage any research in soil pollution modelling to predict future contamination levels and transfer pathways, considering their risk to humans, plants and animals, as well as to surface water, groundwater and oceans?
Submitted: 7.5.2025