Total PFAS (∑ PFAS)
Cities measured
87
Detected in
87 / 87
Elevated / alert
3
EU limit
500 ng/L
Highest
22.4 ng/L — Beirut
Overview
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a class of ~10,000 synthetic chemicals sharing the carbon-fluorine bond — the strongest bond in organic chemistry. They are in cookware coatings, food packaging, water-repellent clothing (Gore-Tex), firefighting foams, semiconductors, and cosmetics. PFAS are detectable in the blood of virtually every human on Earth.
Health Relevance
The PFAS class as a whole is associated with cancer (kidney, testicular), immune disruption (reduced vaccine response), thyroid disease, reproductive harm (lower sperm count, fertility effects), developmental impairment (low birth weight, metabolic disorders), and elevated cholesterol. EFSA's 2020 assessment found that average EU dietary + drinking water PFAS exposure already exceeds the new Tolerable Weekly Intake for many Europeans.
Regulatory Limits
Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184
0.5 μg/L for sum of 20 monitored PFAS (EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184).
Controversy & Contested Science
Stockholm, despite being a model of environmental water management, sits in a region with significant PFAS groundwater contamination from decades of military and airport AFFF use. A 2021 EEA report identified 17,000+ PFAS-contaminated sites in Europe, with total remediation costs estimated above €100 billion. Because PFAS exposure via food packaging, cookware, and clothing significantly exceeds drinking water exposure for most Europeans, the new EU drinking water limit alone cannot protect people already over the EFSA TWI. The EU 'PFAS-Free Europe 2030' initiative calls for phase-out of all non-essential PFAS — requiring replacement in 200+ product categories, with estimated total industry costs of €50–100 billion.