Residents from a Swedish town found to have dangerous toxic substances in their water system have told how they won a legal battle against the water company responsible, reported The Guardian. 

What's happening

Residents of Kallinge, part of the Ronneby municipality in Sweden, began to question their safety in 2013 after hearing their water source — previously considered the cleanest in the country — had been changed.

The reason for the change was the detection of high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, in the original water source. 

Residents had their blood tested in the following months, and some, including children, had 1,000 times the recommended levels in their systems. Ronneby quickly garnered media attention as the most PFAS-polluted place in the world.

PFAS have become subject to global scrutiny, as they lead to many long-term health ailments, including kidney, ovarian, and testicular cancer, among others. They also increase cholesterol, damage thyroids, and boost the risk of ulcerative colitis. Despite Ronneby residents getting rid of their PFAS products, it seemed like the damage was done.

Herman Afzelius, an IT business manager in Kallinge, told The Guardian he's frustrated that after all the damage and harm, "no one took responsibility."

Court proceedings began in 2016 for the residents who were able to afford to fight against the water company. After an initial victory was overturned, the country's Supreme Court ruled in favor of the residents in December 2023, almost 10 years after the initial concerns were raised.

After the ruling, 150 more people decided to sue the water company. Lawyer Markus Segerström told The Guardian that rulings on these cases could take several more years.

Why is PFAS awareness important?

PFAS is an environmental and public health crisis. Action and awareness must inspire change for a healthier future, which requires communities to collaborate and communicate with policymakers. 

Many countries have banned the material or are working toward it, and efforts are being made to find cost-effective ways to treat PFAS pollution in groundwater.

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Worldwide, more organizations are appearing to change legislation. The initiatives raise greater awareness of emerging pollutants like pesticides and other chemicals. However, the materials humans replace PFAS with could be the next generation's problem. 

This story reminds people to always stay ahead and learn how important it is to research ingredients before sending something to mass production. 

Ronneby residents faced court appeals and heavy expenses during their legal proceedings. Community members said the battles were hard to fight but were worth it for the potential regulatory overhauls that could save the next generation.

What's being done about contaminated water?

Citizens are uncovering how much PFAS is in their environments. This has led to a groundbreaking lawsuit against the DuPont Teflon manufacturing plant. 

These suits set a precedent for corporate accountability, which starts with community involvement. The decision mandated research that helped people learn more about the impacts of PFAS.

Many worry about combating the megacorporations they work for because they need job security. However, advocacy keeps people employed while raising their voices about these essential issues.

Stories like Ronneby's motivate the continued fight against PFAS. The residents sparked the creation of the PFAS Foundation, which advocates for the equitable consideration of the long-term impacts of forever chemicals, even without immediate diagnoses.

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