Searches are underway on several sites of the industrial Arkema, notably in Pierre-Bénite south of Lyon and at the Ile-de-France headquarters of Colombes, the management of the chemical group told AFP on Tuesday without further details.
(GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/SCOTT OLSON)
During these searches, which began in the morning and “are still in progress, Arkema provided investigators with all the requested elements”, added a spokesperson, confirming information from France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes .
According to the channel, the searches also target the Daikin industrial group and are part of a judicial investigation for “endangering others” opened in October 2023 in the case of PFAS, nicknamed eternal pollutants.
Present for years on this industrial platform in the chemical valley, Arkema and Daikin produce fluoropolymers and as such handle PFAS, almost indestructible substances.
In May 2022, after a journalistic investigation revealing the extent of PFAS contamination in the area, the mayor of Pierre-Bénite filed a complaint for endangering the lives of others. In the fall of 2023, it was joined by dozens of surrounding municipalities.
In 2002, the prefecture for its part ordered Arkema to stop using PFAS by the end of 2024. The manufacturer has since installed a filtration station to drastically reduce these releases.
PFAS, poly- and perfluoroalkyl compounds, with non-stick and waterproof properties, are massively present in everyday life: Teflon pans, food packaging, waterproof textiles, automobiles, etc.
These pollutants can be found in industrial discharges or landfill sites and contaminate water. If exposed over a long period, they can have effects on fertility and fetal development, increase the risk of obesity or promote certain cancers (prostate, kidney and testicles), according to scientific studies.