WIDER testing for traces of a so-called “forever chemical” is to be recommended by scientists as part of efforts to reassure Islanders concerned about their exposure to the toxic substance.
Members of the Scientific Advisory Panel on PFAS, a chemical used in foam deployed by airport firefighters that penetrated private borehole water supplies in St Ouen, met yesterday to discuss extending testing procedures and the best treatment options for those affected.
The meeting came amid mounting concern from some Islanders about the ongoing dangers arising from PFAS, with more than 1,200 people signing a petition calling for the government to invest in a water treatment plant, bring in tighter regulation and set up an established testing and treatment regime.
Ahead of an official ministerial response, required for any petition passing the 1,000-signature threshold, the government re-emphasised its commitment to keeping Islanders informed about ongoing water-quality analysis and updates on PFAS.
The petition was lodged by former Deputy Paul Le Claire, one of the politicians who took part in the 2005 debate which culminated in Members backing a deal with 3M, the company which manufactured the firefighting foam.
Details of the 3M agreement remained secret until the deal was the subject of a 2021 exposé by Bailiwick Express, sister title of the JEP.
Another former Deputy involved in the debate 20 years ago, Guy de Faye, wrote to the JEP recently saying that he believed Islanders were being “progressively poisoned” by PFAS in drinking water.
Both the government and Jersey Water have highlighted the work carried out regularly to test the Island’s water supply, as well as the scope of the PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel, which has published two reports on the matter, with a third close to being finalised and a fourth and final report now under way.
Wider testing
While around 50 residents in the affected area of St Ouen were found to have elevated levels of exposure to PFAS following a testing programme in 2022, the panel is now due to recommend wider testing which will include those who lived in the “plume area” west of the Airport runway, where water containing the foam drained away and was subsequently found to have affected borehole supplies. Those who were exposed to PFAS as a result of their occupation – mainly firefighters – will also be part of the extension of testing.
The option that is likely to be recommended for those already tested and found to have high levels of exposure involves bile acid sequestrants, using medications that bind to substances in the intestines to prevent reabsorption.
Previous panel discussions showed that side-effects of this treatment were generally mild, with constipation and gastrointestinal discomfort being the most common, although it was noted that the drugs could interfere with the absorption of vitamins and other medications
Annual treatment costs, based on a group of 50 people, are estimated to range from £8,760 to £23,255, depending on the specific medication used and the training costs.
Recommendations for the bile acid sequestrant treatment focus on particular groups, with different thresholds set. These groups include women with childbearing potential and those with elevated levels of cholesterol.
Mounting criticism
Critics of the government’s response to PFAS have been increasingly vocal in recent weeks. One campaigner, Jeremy Snowdon, said the government had refused to divulge details around legal advice not to answer questions about pollution dating back to 2019.
Mr Le Claire also wrote to the JEP this week to highlight a recent freedom-of-information response showing that four pesticides containing PFAS were currently imported into Jersey.
The former politician said he was “deeply concerned” about ongoing PFAS contamination to both the environment and the water supply, describing it as “an issue that continues to threaten public health and the Island’s natural resources.”
In a Q&A document published as part of the PFAS section of the gov.je site, the government said drinking water was regulated by law, and that monitoring took place in line with UK and EU best practice, with details published in the 2024 Jersey Water Quality Report.
