Protests have spread across India over the production of cancer-linked PFAS chemicals after an investigation found that an Italian factory shut down for an environmental scandal was bought by an Indian company and partly rebuilt. The former Miteni plant in Vicenza produced PFAS and was closed in 2018 after links to one of Italy’s worst contamination scandals. In June 2025, former executives were convicted over contamination tied to the plant, affecting more than 350,000 people through drinking water from a major aquifer. PFAS persist in the environment and are associated with increased risks including cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney damage, and reproductive disorders. The equipment was dismantled, shipped, and reassembled near Mumbai, and the Indian site has been fully operational since early 2025, producing PFAS for use in multiple industries. The company denies pollution allegations.
"Protests over the production of cancer-linked Pfas chemicals have spread across India, after an investigation revealed that an Italian factory shut down due to an environmental scandal was bought by an Indian company and partly rebuilt. At the end of last year, the Guardian revealed that the former Miteni plant in Vicenza had been acquired by the Indian company Laxmi Organic Industries. The factory produced Pfas and was shut down in 2018 after being linked to one of Italy's worst environmental contamination scandals."
"The factory left behind the contamination of one of Europe's largest aquifers, affecting more than 350,000 people across the provinces of Vicenza, Verona and Padua through the drinking water. Miteni's workers were worst affected, with one former employee showing one of the highest concentrations of Pfas ever recorded in human blood. High levels of Pfas in the blood are associated with increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney damage, reproductive disorders and more."
"The investigation revealed that Laxmi included in its portfolio some of the same products once manufactured by Miteni and maintained commercial relationships with clients that previously sourced from the Italian company. Laxmi has denied allegations of pollution. Since early 2025, Laxmi's site in Lote Parshuram has been fully operational, producing chemicals that will be used in pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, cosmetics and other products."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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