In a startling revelation that underscores the pervasiveness of pollution from PFAS chemicals, laboratory tests have found traces of these toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in the blood of 24 European Union leaders from 19 different countries.
The discovery exposes how deeply embedded PFAS contamination has become across Europe – reaching even the policymakers tasked with tackling the crisis.
Often invisible but dangerously persistent, PFAS chemicals are used in countless everyday products, from waterproof clothing and non-stick cookware to firefighting foams.
Their resilience in the environment means they accumulate in soil, water, wildlife, and human bodies – posing long-term health risks that no one can escape.
Patrick ten Brink, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), explained: “The human and economic cost of inaction around PFAS pollution is already staggering, and it’s growing by the day.
“Decision makers must urgently close the gap, hold polluters accountable and stop this cycle of harm. People need to have confidence again in the water they drink and the food they eat.”
Widespread contamination across Europe
The testing, coordinated by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality alongside the EEB and ChemSec, uncovered traces of between three and eight PFAS substances in every leader tested.
These included several of the most notorious PFAS compounds – PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA – many of which have been regulated in Europe for years under the EU POPs and REACH regulations.
PFOS, banned since 2008, appeared in the highest concentrations, reaching up to 17.19 nanograms per millilitre. Alarmingly, half of those tested exceeded the HBM4EU safety threshold of 6.9 ng/ml for combined exposure to key PFAS chemicals.
All individuals showed levels above 2 ng/ml, the point at which the US National Academies recommend medical monitoring.
Health risks and regulatory gaps
PFAS chemicals are linked to cancers, thyroid disease, immune dysfunction, and developmental disorders.
Their chemical stability makes them nearly indestructible, allowing them to persist for decades and build up in the bloodstream.
Despite existing bans, new and replacement PFAS continue to enter the market, often with little safety data, creating a cycle of contamination and substitution that regulators struggle to break.
Environmental experts warn that this whack-a-mole approach, where one hazardous compound is replaced by another, highlights the urgent need for a universal restriction covering all PFAS, not just select variants.
Signs of progress
Amid the alarming findings, there are glimmers of hope.
One EU leader who had previously undergone PFAS testing recorded lower contamination levels this time – echoing broader trends in European populations where strong restrictions have begun to reduce exposure. The evidence is clear: regulation works.
However, without a sweeping ban, progress will be slow and costly. Cleaning up PFAS contamination could drain up to €2 trillion from EU economies over the next two decades, not counting annual healthcare costs estimated between €52bn and €84bn.
Europe at a crossroads
As the European Union prepares to overhaul its REACH chemicals regulation, the findings add pressure on policymakers to act decisively.
More than 100 organisations, led by the EEB, are backing the Stop PFAS manifesto, urging the EU to implement a universal phase-out of all PFAS uses.
This unprecedented blood-testing project sends a clear warning: PFAS contamination knows no borders or titles.
Without immediate and comprehensive action, these forever chemicals will continue to circulate through Europe’s ecosystems – and its leaders – for generations to come.
