The cleanup of water and soil in Europe from “forever pollutants” (PFAS) would cost at least €95 billion over 20 years under the most favorable conditions, and the bill could climb to €2 trillion, according to a study by multiple media outlets coordinated by the French newspaper Le Monde.

The higher cost “is very likely the most realistic,” Le Monde notes, based on university research and findings from the “Forever Lobbying Project,” a media consortium investigating these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

This is because the estimate “does not account for the impact of PFAS on our healthcare systems or a myriad of negative external factors that are extremely difficult to quantify,” the French newspaper adds.

Extensive Pollution and Escalating Challenges

The study follows a comprehensive 2023 report revealing “at least 23,000 contaminated sites” across Europe due to these chemicals, known for their non-stick properties and resistance to water and stains.

Virtually indestructible, “forever pollutants” include over 4,700 molecules and accumulate over time in soil, rivers, and even human bodies. Long-term exposure can impact fertility or increase the risk of certain cancers, according to initial studies.

To calculate the cleanup cost, the media outlets collaborated with two researchers, relying on “the scarce scientific and economic data available” and “local information gathered from pioneers in decontamination.”

“Each of our assessment scenarios is based on conservative assumptions, which means the costs are almost certainly underestimated,” the study authors point out.

Scenarios of Hope and Reality

The lowest estimate—€4.8 billion annually—represents an “unrealistic scenario” with “overly optimistic” assumptions: no new PFAS pollution starting “tomorrow,” limited cleanup in priority areas, and focusing only on currently regulated pollutants—ignoring new substances introduced “since the early 2000s.”

If pollution continues and comprehensive cleanup is undertaken, “the bill would rise to €2 trillion over 20 years, or €100 billion annually,” according to Le Monde, particularly because “decontamination poses enormous technological and logistical challenges.”

For instance, some advanced water filtration techniques consume significant amounts of energy and water. Additionally, standard incinerators, which lack sufficient power, fail to destroy PFAS in household waste, the study emphasizes.

Urgent Action Needed

Given the staggering sums involved, “limiting PFAS releases is imperative to stop the bill from rising further,” concludes the French newspaper.

The investigation, based on “thousands of documents,” also exposes an industry campaign described as a “harassment of public authorities by an army of lobbyists,” aimed at “softening, or even burying,” a proposal to ban PFAS at the European level.