Sawt Falasteen - Post-it maker 3M on trial in Belgium over 'forever' chemicals

Hundreds of people are demanding almost 30 million euros ($35 million) in total in potential damages in the latest in a series of legal cases worldwide centring on the harm caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

"Those responsible must take responsibility. A company can't pollute and not care, take the profits and leave; it's not possible," Petra Praet, one of the plaintiffs, told AFP upon arriving at the hearing in Antwerp.

Abnormal levels of groundwater and soil pollution were detected near a 3M site in Zwijndrecht, outside the port city, in 2021.

A blood-sampling campaign later confirmed that hundreds of people living nearby had been exposed to very high concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a member of the PFAS family used as a waterproofing agent.

3M said it has not produced PFAS at the plant inaugurated in the 1970s since 2024 and has launched a soil remediation operation in the area.

But Geert Lenssens, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said about 1,400 locals are seeking 20,000 euros each in compensation in anticipation of future needs, accusing the US group of "excessive neighbourhood disturbances".

"An illness can take several decades to develop, as we saw with asbestos," Lenssens said, adding his clients' properties in the area also stood to lose value.

- Human-made chemicals -

Many of the plaintiffs huddled in the small courtroom, where a judge is to hear the case over three days.

An elderly couple sitting in the first row said they expected an apology from 3M, complaining about health issues.

"It's poison that we received in our garden, in our blood, in our bodies," added Praet, who has lived less than two kilometres from the plant for 25 years.

Along with her two children, she was among the locals who underwent blood testing. She said she has since stopped eating the eggs from her hens and abandoned plans for a vegetable garden, in accordance with the recommendation of local authorities.

The case follows the successful lawsuit brought by another local family against 3M before the same court, according to Lenssens.

A verdict is not expected before a month.

Often called forever chemicals as they take an extremely long time to break down, PFAS are human-made chemicals that repel heat, water and oil, and are used in nonstick pans, stain-proof carpets, and other products.

They are increasingly being restricted across the world due to adverse health effects.

Chronic exposure to even low levels has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birth weights and several kinds of cancer.

3M told AFP it is currently carrying out a large-scale clean-up operation in Zwijndrecht, following a 2022 agreement with local authorities, under which the firm committed to spending half a billion euros on remediation measures.

The company, which has also been sued in the United States over its use of PFAS, said it would end all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.

W.Mansour--SF-PST