Helmond factory dumped PFAS into sewer for at least 15 years: Report
A factory in Helmond discharged wastewater containing dangerous levels of PFAS chemicals directly into the sewer system for at least 15 years, according to internal documents obtained by Dutch investigative television program Zembla. The facility, formerly operated by the now-bankrupt British company Custom Powders, processed Teflon powder for chemical giant DuPont, which later split off its chemical operations under the name Chemours.
The internal records show that DuPont was aware of the illegal discharges for years. The plant released thousands of kilograms of PFOA, a toxic PFAS substance now banned due to its carcinogenic properties.
Chemours told Zembla it had no knowledge of the internal documents. The company also stated that it did not withhold any information “under the legislation that applied at the time,” and emphasized that Custom Powders was solely responsible for adhering to its environmental permit obligations.
The municipality of Helmond is preparing legal action. “This is a complete violation of the environmental permits in place at the time,” Helmond alderman Arno Bonte told Zembla. “Dumping directly into the sewer is criminal.”
With the factory now closed and Custom Powders defunct, the municipality is targeting Chemours with a new claim for damages. Bonte says DuPont’s awareness of the pollution justifies the move. “This is a deliberate act of environmental contamination. The fact that DuPont knew about it is, to me, an additional reason to send the cleanup bill directly to Chemours.”
The city is already dealing with a major pollution fallout. Custom Powders filed for bankruptcy in late 2023 after Helmond submitted a damage claim related to PFAS contamination from the facility. Cleanup costs are currently estimated at no less than 10 million euros.
Internal communications and test results also reveal that DuPont misled workers about the health risks. Employees at the Helmond site were told that exposure to PFOA was not harmful. In 2007, DuPont arranged blood testing among staff. Some of the measured concentrations of PFOA were reportedly many times higher than those found in DuPont workers in Dordrecht and the United States.
According to Zembla, one Helmond employee had a blood concentration of PFOA that was 1,000 times higher than the current safety threshold.
PFAS is a group of industrial chemicals known for being extremely persistent in the environment and harmful to human health. They are associated with a wide range of medical risks, including damage to the immune system, fertility problems, developmental harm to unborn children, liver and thyroid issues, and increased cancer risk.
PFOA, the specific PFAS compound discharged in Helmond, has since been banned in many countries due to these dangers.
In 2023, Chemours was found partially liable for damages caused by PFAS pollution at its plant in Dordrecht. In that case, as in Helmond, Zembla reported that DuPont had been aware of PFAS-related health and environmental risks for decades—long before any serious action was taken.
