Toxic substances known as ‘forever chemicals’ were detected in Timmy Dooley’s blood, according to the European Environmental Bureau (EEB).
Ireland’s environment minister, Timmy Dooley TD, was one of 18 ministers from across the EU who agreed to be tested, along with the European Environment Commissioner, Jessika Roswall.
PFAS substances were found in all of them, according to the EEB and ChemSec.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of more than 10,000 man-made chemicals.
They can be used for a range of products including non-stick frying pans, waterproof raincoats and even lipstick.
But PFAS chemicals do not easily break down in the natural environment. That’s why they are commonly known as forever chemicals.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently considering whether all PFAS substances should be banned.
There are widespread concerns about the health implications of PFAS chemicals, including the risk of developing cancer.
At least six types of already-banned PFAS chemicals were found in some of the politicians who were tested, the EEB said.
“For half of the EU leaders, contamination exceeded levels beyond which health impacts cannot be ruled out”, ChemSec – the International Chemical Secretariat – warned in a statement.
Last week the European Commission added firefighting foams to its list of PFAS chemicals to be banned, but many more continue to be used in every day products.
“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 tap, hold polluters accountable and stop this cycle of harm. People need to again have confidence in the water they drink and the food they eat”, said Patrick ten Brink, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau
Between three and eight PFAS chemicals – out of the 13 tested – were detected in the blood of all the ministers and officials tested, with PFOS (which was regulated in 2008) showing the highest concentrations, according to the EEB’s analysis.
“Where bans are in place, levels are starting to fall – clear evidence that strong laws protect people. Now we need EU leaders to finish the job with a universal ban on all PFAS”, said Anne-Sofie Bäckar, Executive Director at ChemSec.
French environment minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, was one of those who was tested. She says it shows that forever chemicals are now probably in everyone.
“The results of my blood test illustrate a clear scientific finding: PFAS affects the entire population. They demonstrate the widespread contamination of our environment by these persistent substances.
Several PFAS were found in my body. And even though, in my case, the concentrations measured are below the safety thresholds known to date, their mere presence is a reminder of the urgent need to reduce the use of these substances in our daily lives.
France is determined to identify the sources of contamination, protect its population and develop its regulations on this topic. These substances have no place in our environment nor in our bodies.”
In total, 24 ministers and senior officials were tested.
The complete list of those tested include the European Commissioner, 11 ministers, 7 state secretaries, deputy secretaries, or secretaries of state, and 4 officials.
Jean-Luc Crucke (Belgium) – Federal Minister of Climate and Ecological Transition Marija Vuƒçkoviƒá (Croatia) – Minister of Environmental Protection and Green Transition Maria Panayiotou (Cyprus) – Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus Jeppe Bruus (Denmark) – Minister for Green Transition Magnus Heunicke (Denmark) – Minister Environment and Gender Equality Jessika Roswall – European Commission – European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Andres Sutt (Estonia) – Minister of Energy and the Environment Leena Ylä-Mononen – European Environment Agency – Executive Director Agnès Pannier-Runacher (France) – French Minister of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forestry, Sea and Fisheries Carsten Schneider (Germany) – Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Peter Javorčík – General Secretariat of the Council of the EU – Director-General for Transport, Energy, Environment and Education Aniko Raisz (Hungary) – State Secretary of Environmental Affairs Timmy Dooley (Ireland) – Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Olga Bogdanova (Latvia) – Deputy State Secretary at Ministry of Climate and Energy Povilas Poderskis (Lithuania) – Minister of Environment Miriam Dalli (Malta) – Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness Michel Heijdra (Netherlands) – Director-General for Climate and Energy Afke Van Rijn (Netherlands) – Director General Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management Kristoffer Hansen (Norway) – State Secretary, Ministry of Climate and Environment Krzysztof Bolesta (Poland) – Secretary of State, Ministry of Climate and Environment João Manuel Esteves (Portugal) – Secretary of State for Environment Filip Kuffa (Slovakia) – State Secretary, Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic Uroš Vajgl (Slovenia) – State Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy Hugo Moran Fernandez (Spain) – Secretary of State for the Environment.