PFAS in Brussels: soil and water contamination

General situation

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called "forever chemicals", are virtually indestructible chemical compounds used in numerous industrial and consumer products. Unlike Flanders (3M factory in Zwijndrecht), no PFAS production facility is present in the Brussels Region. Contamination comes from the widespread use of PFAS-containing products and specific industrial sites.

Since 2021, Brussels Environment has conducted systematic analysis campaigns. To date, 82 parcels show confirmed contamination: 47 in soil and 55 in groundwater.

The Sicli case in Uccle

The most serious case involves the former Sicli company site (fire extinguisher manufacturer), Chaussée de Neerstalle 430 in Uccle. The firefighting foams produced on site contained large quantities of PFOS and PFOA.

• April–May 2023: analyses commissioned by Sicli reveal extreme concentrations
• December 2023: Brussels Environment is informed of the results
• June 2025: joint public announcement with the municipality of Uccle, after Sicli's bankruptcy and the trustees' refusal to continue analyses
• September 2025: detailed results published — 31 PFAS compounds in soil (standard exceeded up to 708 times) and 20 compounds in groundwater (standard exceeded up to 1,058 times) on the industrial site; off-site levels 1.4 to 530 times the standard

A 100-metre safety perimeter has been established: consumption of fruits, vegetables, eggs or small livestock from gardens in the zone is prohibited. Drinking water distributed by Vivaqua is not affected.

Drinking water: the TFA problem

Vivaqua states that the European standard of 100 ng/L for the sum of 20 PFAS is not exceeded anywhere in the Region. However, analyses reveal a specific problem with TFA (trifluoroacetic acid):

• TFA is detected in all 6 reservoirs supplying Brussels residents
• 97% of 287 analyses exceed the standard of 500 ng/L for total PFAS (in force since 12 January 2026)
• Concentrations range from 500 to 1,900 ng/L (maximum at the Daussoulx-Boitsfort reservoir)
• Standard activated carbon filters cannot capture TFA — only reverse osmosis works, at a high cost

TFA toxicity remains debated: an independent scientific council considers the human risk as "unlikely", but Dutch health authorities point to potential effects on the liver and immune system.

Health standards vs. quality limits

The Superior Health Council (SHC) issued an opinion recommending significantly stricter thresholds than legal standards: 4 ng/L for the sum of 4 common PFAS and 100 ng/L for the sum of 20 PFAS. The SHC also set a limit of 13 µg/L for perchlorate in water (2 µg/L for babies and young children). These thresholds are "maximum health values" based on the precautionary principle, not mere "quality limits" — an important distinction that Belgian authorities do not yet apply in drinking water regulation.

Inter-Environnement Bruxelles (IEB), in its November 2025 opinion on the future Water Management Plan 2028-2033, calls for national harmonisation of guideline values based on public health criteria, public access to health monitoring data, and analysis of cocktail effects of emerging substances rather than a molecule-by-molecule approach.

Regulatory framework

• March 2024: EU standard of 100 ng/L (sum of 20 PFAS) in force in Brussels

• May 2024: decree integrating PFAS standards for soil and groundwater (published in the Belgian Official Journal on 9 July 2024)

• April 2025: the government approves in first reading a draft defining "total PFAS" at 500 ng/L and adding TFA to the watchlist (guidance value: 2,200 ng/L)

• February 2026: the Environment Council calls for an integrated framework — management of existing contamination, sustainable protection of drinking water, polluter-pays principle, equitable cost distribution

• January 2026: the EU 'total PFAS' standard (500 ng/L, including TFA) enters into force in all Member States (Directive 2020/2184). Brussels had already applied the 'sum of 20 PFAS' standard (100 ng/L) since March 2024

At European level, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will hold a public consultation in spring 2026 on its draft opinion for a universal PFAS restriction (over 10,000 substances, 14 sectors). A final opinion is expected by late 2026.

Regulation (EU) 2025/1988 — firefighting foams

On 2 October 2025, the European Commission adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/1988, adding Entry 82 to Annex XVII of REACH. This regulation bans the placing on the market and use of PFAS in firefighting foams at a concentration ≥ 1 mg/L (sum of all PFAS) from 23 October 2030. The link to the Sicli case is direct: the company produced precisely the type of PFAS-containing foams and extinguishers targeted by this restriction.

Ban timeline:

• 23 October 2026: mandatory labelling for foams ≥ 1 mg/L + strict use conditions (class B fires only, site-specific management plan, separate waste collection, incineration ≥ 1,100 °C)
• 23 October 2026: end of placing portable PFAS-containing fire extinguishers on the market
• 23 April 2027: end of use for training/testing and by public/private fire services
• 31 December 2030: end of use in portable fire extinguishers
• 23 October 2030: general ban
• 23 October 2035: end of derogations for Seveso sites (excluding civilian airports), offshore oil/gas, military vessels and civilian ships

Key figures: 30,000 tonnes of firefighting foams produced in the EU per year, of which 18,000 t (60%) contain PFAS. Estimated annual emissions: 470 tonnes of PFAS. Socioeconomic cost of the restriction: ~EUR 7 billion over 30 years.

European and legal context

• January 2026: a study commissioned by the European Commission estimates PFAS pollution costs at EUR 440 billion by 2050 without additional action — water treatment alone would exceed EUR 1 trillion
• February 2026: opening of the 3M trial in Antwerp — 1,400 residents of Zwijndrecht claim EUR 20,000 each (EUR 28 million total) for excessive neighbourhood nuisance caused by PFAS. A 2023 precedent awarded EUR 2,000 to a family. Ruling expected late March 2026. Key jurisprudence for the polluter-pays principle applicable to the Sicli case
• Spring 2026: ECHA public consultation on the universal PFAS restriction (over 10,000 substances). Final opinion expected late 2026

Issues to monitor

• Sicli remediation: who pays after bankruptcy? Brussels Environment is negotiating with owner Afitec. The 3M jurisprudence could strengthen the polluter-pays principle
• Water treatment costs: reverse osmosis to remove TFA could be reflected in consumer bills. The Commission study estimates the cost of treating polluted water at over EUR 1 trillion at European level
• Integrated framework: will the Brussels government respond to the Environment Council's recommendations?
• Mapping: analysis campaigns continue — the number of contaminated parcels may increase
• TFA standard: the guidance value of 2,200 ng/L proposed by the Region is considered insufficient by some experts. The SHC recommends far stricter thresholds (4 ng/L for 4 common PFAS)
• WMP 2028-2033: the future Water Management Plan will integrate PFAS issues. IEB calls for national harmonisation of standards, public access to health monitoring data, and cocktail effect analysis
• SIAMU obligations: from 23 October 2026, Brussels fire services (SIAMU) must establish a PFAS foam management plan per site (use conditions, volumes, collection, cleaning, substitution strategy), reviewed annually and kept for 15 years. Training and testing with PFAS foams will be banned from April 2027