Belgians living near a 3M plant called for justice Tuesday at the opening of a trial against the US multinational maker of Post-it and Scotch tape over pollution from so-called forever chemicals.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people are demanding almost 30 million euros ($35 million) in total in potential damages in the latest in a series of legal cases worldwide centring on the harm caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).<\/p>\n
“Those responsible must take responsibility. A company can’t pollute and not care, take the profits and leave; it’s not possible,” Petra Praet, one of the plaintiffs, told AFP upon arriving at the hearing in Antwerp.<\/p>\n
Abnormal levels of groundwater and soil pollution were detected near a 3M site in Zwijndrecht, outside the port city,\u00a0in 2021.<\/p>\n
A blood-sampling campaign later confirmed that hundreds of people living nearby had been exposed to very high concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a member of the PFAS family used as a waterproofing agent.<\/p>\n
3M said it has not produced PFAS at the plant inaugurated in the 1970s since 2024 and has launched a soil remediation operation in the area.<\/p>\n
But Geert Lenssens, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said about 1,400 locals are seeking 20,000 euros each in compensation in anticipation of future needs, accusing the US group of “excessive neighbourhood disturbances”.<\/p>\n
“An illness can take several decades to develop, as we saw with asbestos,” Lenssens said, adding his clients’ properties in the area also stood to lose value.<\/p>\n
– Human-made chemicals –<\/p>\n
Many of the plaintiffs huddled in the small courtroom, where a judge is to hear the case over three days.<\/p>\n
An elderly couple sitting in the first row said they expected an apology from 3M, complaining about health issues.<\/p>\n
“It’s poison that we received in our garden, in our blood, in our bodies,” added Praet, who has lived less than two kilometres from the plant for 25 years.<\/p>\n
Along with her two children, she was among the locals who underwent blood testing. She said she has since stopped eating the eggs from her hens and abandoned plans for a vegetable garden, in accordance with the recommendation of local authorities.<\/p>\n
The case follows the successful lawsuit brought by another local family against 3M before the same court, according to Lenssens.<\/p>\n
A verdict is not expected before a month.<\/p>\n
Often called forever chemicals as they take an extremely long time to break down, PFAS are human-made chemicals that repel heat, water and oil, and are used in nonstick pans, stain-proof carpets, and other products.<\/p>\n
They are increasingly being restricted across the world due to adverse health effects.<\/p>\n
Chronic exposure to even low levels has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birth weights and several kinds of cancer.<\/p>\n
3M told AFP it is currently carrying out a large-scale clean-up operation in Zwijndrecht, following a 2022 agreement with local authorities, under which the firm committed to spending half a billion euros on remediation measures.<\/p>\n
The company, which has also been sued in the United States over its use of PFAS, said it would end all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.<\/p>\n
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