An information session was held last evening for residents of Chièvres with high levels of PFAS pollutants in their blood. A meeting which did not reassure them.
This is always a worry for the residents of Chièvres. Many people have poor blood results after contamination with PFAS, these eternal pollutants present in running water. An information session was held last night. In the public, there were citizens, sometimes very worried.
They went there to get answers. But they didn’t get many answers. Alexine is the mother of a little girl who has a level of 96 nanograms per liter of blood. The maximum recommended rate is 20.
Last night she was in tears. “I have always done the best, I think, for my little girl. And despite that, it escapes me. And everyone says that it’s normal. Behind these figures, there are still people and we waiting for answers. And for it to be a little concrete”.
Patricia also left this meeting disappointed. His PFAS level is too high. But, it is not among the highest in the municipality.
“We don’t necessarily answer the questions. There are people who completely ignore the fish. And then, it’s no one’s fault, it’s life in general. So, I find that it’s a mixed response “.
Paul Gosselin is responsible for the Environment Health Unit of the Walloon Region. He was there to respond to worried residents. He understands their disappointment and justifies the lack of response.
“Unfortunately, we were only able to formulate responses within the limits of what we were sufficiently certain of being able to give back to them. But, if we came two months later with more or less, we would have, on the contrary, on the one hand, increased the concern among the population, and what’s more, we would have discredited ourselves”.
Analyzes continue. Specialists hope to provide concrete answers in the coming months.
As a reminder, more than 1,800 people living in the Chièvres area and 152 residents of Ronquières had a blood sample analyzed to check for the presence of PFAS.
Those tested showed overexposure to PFAS. Above all, 28.8% of participants in Chièvres and 3.9% in Ronquières exceeded the health threshold of 20 micrograms/liter, above which the CSI estimates that there is an increased risk of adverse effects.
The Scientific Institute of Public Health (Issep) advises people with PFAS levels above the health threshold to consult their doctor “in the next weeks”. The authorities, however, believe that there is no reason to panic, “exceeding the threshold value does not necessarily lead to harmful effects on health”.
goats pfas pollutants health Ronquières
