Former workers describe classic symptoms of "Teflon flu" and report years of exposure to hazardous substances without adequate protection or information. Several have developed diseases, fitting a well-documented pattern seen in PFAS-related industries globally.
Environmental damage has also emerged, with “unexplained” groundwater pollution near the production site including PFOA - a compound that can directly be linked to the coating products in use. Public and confidential information shows that such chemicals, including newer variants like GenX, are hidden behind incomplete safety data sheets and rebranded product lines.
These findings highlight a larger issue: how the fluoropolymer industry has operated with limited transparency, outpacing EU regulation and exploiting loopholes in national legislation to continue marketing restricted products. As Europe moves to tighten its oversight through the REACH restriction process, this case illustrates the challenges regulators face in catching up with industry practices.
Meanwhile, in other countries like Italy, communities long affected by PFAS contamination from the former plants are developing mitigation strategies not only to cope with ongoing health and environmental risks, but also to offer potential models for other communities across Europe facing similar toxic legacies.
Image by Anders Palm Olesen. The factory chimney towers over the small town of Kvistgård.
