Discharges of hazardous substances such as FBSA
23.9.2021
Question for written answer E-004374/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Cindy Franssen (PPE)
The Flemish authorities and the environmental inspectorate have ordered the chemical company 3M to immediately stop discharging FBSA (Perfluorobutane sulfonamide, also known as H-FBSA) from its plant in Zwijndrecht. This decision was made after FBSA effluent was discovered in the Scheldt, despite the fact that the company had neither reported the discharges nor received official authorisation for them. The discharges have reportedly been taking place for at least 10 years[1][2].
In view of this:
- 1.Can the Commission confirm its intention of banning the non-essential use of all PFAS, a category to which FBSA (or H-FBSA) belongs?
- 2.When would such a ban be scheduled to enter into force and how does the Commission intend to define what constitutes essential uses of PFAS?
- 3.Given that it is the responsibility of the Member States to enforce environmental rules and ensure compliance therewith, is the Commission in turn able to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken by them to this end?
Last updated: 4 October 2021