Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000767/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Jonas Sjöstedt (The Left), Hanna Gedin (The Left)
The Ukrainian people have had to endure the most difficult of ordeals during Russia’s war of aggression. Repeated bombardments are tearing apart the country’s infrastructure, and today there is a shortage of equipment for maintaining civil and military preparedness. The EU has an important role to play in both the military and civil defence of Ukraine.
It seems inconceivable, but, in spite of the war, European firms are now exploiting the shortages in Ukraine by dumping environmentally harmful substances in the country. Harmful and environmentally destructive PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ – the PFOA variant in this instance – are being sent to Ukraine, though they are now banned in the EU. This chiefly involves firefighting foams nearing their expiry date plus products for civilian use.
It is many times more costly to destroy the materials safely than to send them to Ukraine. Consequently, children and adults in Ukraine are being exposed to chemicals that are adjudged to be too hazardous to be used in the EU. This is disgraceful and risks doing damage to Ukraine, which has already suffered enormous environmental degradation as a result of the war.
With that in mind:
- 1.What action is the Commission planning to take to ensure that European firms do not dump PFAS chemicals in Ukraine?
- 2.How does the Commission intend to assist Ukraine in remediating PFAS chemicals that have already been used?
Submitted: 19.2.2025