Pollutants known as “forever chemicals”, which don’t break down in the environment, build up in the body and may be toxic, have been found at 134 sites in Switzerland, a European mapping project has revealed. In Switzerland, the map showed the greatest concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of about 10,000 chemicals valued for their non-stick and detergent properties, in the Goms Valley in canton Valais. A measurement carried out in 2021 revealed a concentration of 14,569 nanograms of PFAS per kilogramme of soil. The news was reported by German-speaking media that took part in the "Forever Pollution Project". PFAS have made their way into water, soils and sediments from a wide range of consumer products, firefighting foams, waste and industrial processes. + Cleaning up Switzerland’s toxic legacy. The newspapers attributed the Goms pollution to ski wax. Valais authorities reject this theory, however. The pollution resulted from the use of...
