For some time, between the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona, there has been a contaminated area that cannot be seen, but which has profoundly affected the territory and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. It is the area affected by pollution from PFAS, highly persistent chemicals that have spread through the environment for years without anyone being aware of it.
In the second episode of “Poisons of Italy” Let’s reconstruct the entire story, starting from 2016, when it emerged that over 350,000 citizens had drunk contaminated water, cooked with it and irrigated the fields with a toxic and invisible compound. An environmental disaster of enormous proportions, which has never really stopped and which, over time, has transcended regional borders.
Today, PFAS contamination affects more than 17,000 sites across Europe. These substances are now widespread everywhere: in non-stick coatings, waterproof fabrics, cosmetics, food packaging, fire-fighting foams and numerous industrial detergents. The most alarming aspect, however, is another: PFAS have entered the food chain, contaminating eggs, meat, fish, milk and even breast milk.
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The origin of the contamination in Veneto
The story takes shape in 2011, along the Poscola stream, in Veneto. In that area stood the former Miteni chemical plant in Trissino, active since 1964 and built above one of the largest aquifers in Europe. For years, from that plant, PFAS have been dispersed into the soil and groundwater, progressively reaching the drinking water of 21 municipalities.
The investigations by the NOE of the Carabinieri then revealed a decisive detail: already in 2004 the company was aware of the pollution, as demonstrated by an internally commissioned environmental study. Despite this, no cleanup has ever started, also due to the very high costs, estimated at around 18 million euros. Meanwhile, thousands of families continued to use contaminated water in their daily lives.
Today 15 former Miteni managers are accused of very serious crimes, including water poisoning, environmental disaster and illicit waste management. The State, meanwhile, has already spent over 80 million euros to build new aqueducts. But the environmental damage is now widespread: the contamination has reached the Adriatic Sea, other European countries and even the snows of Antarctica.
Faced with this scenario, one question remains inevitable: why are PFAS not yet completely banned? In Italy there is still no law prohibiting its use. Yet, the scientific literature is clear: prolonged exposure to these substances is linked to cancers (particularly of the kidneys), thyroid disorders, diabetes, liver and immune system damage, pregnancy complications and reduced fertility.
The committee Moms No PFASactive for years, continues to denounce the slowness of politics. Together with hundreds of associations, it calls for a total ban by 2030, but the fear is that the institutional timing is not compatible with the severity of the crisis.
Europe is trying to change pace
At a European level, something is moving. As part of the REACH Regulation, the EU Commission presented a restriction proposal on over 10,000 PFAS in 2023, one of the largest ever put forward by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The objective is to block production, use and import, providing only temporary exemptions in sectors where alternatives are lacking.
Also on the drinking water front, the EU introduced specific limits on PFAS for the first time, through the Water Quality Directive and the Waste Water Regulation. But concrete implementation is up to individual states, and Italy still appears to be significantly behind.
The reality, however, is now evident: PFAS are already in our bodies. It is no longer the time for endless analyzes or postponements. We need immediate political decisions, a national law that bans these substances and serious and structural investments to clean up the contaminated territories.
