Five years after the fire at the Lubrizol factory in Rouen, new data was sent to the Union of Lubrizol Victims. These are the results of analyzes of groundwater, the pollution of which was revealed in 2023, under the disaster zone and under the factory. Analyzes carried out at the request of the association in November. Reassuring data that must be qualified…
The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection
Every day, our editorial team reserves the best regional news for you. A selection just for you, to stay in touch with your regions.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the newsletter “The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection”. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
Water pollution under the Lubrizol factory has reduced. This is the result of the latest analyzes sent to the Union of Lubrizol Victims. “Good news, it is clear that we are almost back to normal compared to before the fire“, underlines the Union of Victims of Lubrizol.
Let’s take the example of PAHs, hydrocarbons potentially harmful to the environment and health. During the latest analyzes in 2023, a peak in pollution of these waters was noted with 3.8 micrograms per liter.
Today, the quality has returned almost to the level before the fire in 2019.
•
© France Télévisions
Today, the quality has returned almost to the level before the fire in 2019 with 2.26 micrograms per liter. The soil remediation operations carried out by the prefecture and DREAL seem to be bearing fruit.
Reassuring data, but which must be qualified. The latest analyzes reveal the presence of PFAS: “eternal pollutants”, impossible to destroy, present in most of our everyday objects such as non-stick pans, waterproof clothing or even in certain food and beauty product packaging.
“We risk having them for a while longer in the groundwater of Lubrizol.”lance Christophe Holleville.
In the case of Lubrizol, it would be the extinguishing foam used by firefighters to put out the fire.
“As a lot of it was spilled on the disaster site, it is normal that with the infiltrations we find some in the groundwater. But the firefighters had nothing to do with it, they did a remarkable job!”
-Also read: Five years after the Lubrizol fire, here are the highly anticipated results of the study on the health consequences
“As part of national surveillance, the prefecture requested the monitoring of 20 PFAS. During previous analyses, Lubrizol had been obliged to monitor only two… Here, the spectrum is broader and we discover that certain PFAS which were not monitored are indeed present in the groundwater of Lubrizol”explains Christophe Holleville, secretary of the Union of Victims of Lubrizol.
These PFAS persist in the environment and could be harmful to health. “Diabetes, malformation… and some are potentially carcinogenic”, adds the secretary of the union of victims of Lubrizol.
“There are studies being done, but unfortunately there are no standards currently. We can attribute these PFAS to manufacturers, but there are no sanctions.”
We will see in 30 years if it was something harmful to the health of our children, or not!
Christophe Holleville, secretary of the Union of Victims of Lubrizol
Furthermore, the association is awaiting the results of analyzes of the Seine dock, this famous basin which had been polluted by firefighting water before being cleaned up just after the fire.
“The latest analyzes only date from October 2019, we need to know if this dock has been cleaned up correctly,” explains Christophe Holleville.
In another register, the Union of Victims of Lubrizol will also ask the Rouen University Hospital and the Henri-Becquerel center for figures on the evolution of the number of certain cancers since the fire.
