Vicenza TAV construction sites show PFAS soil contamination

Independent analyses have detected PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in soil at two sites related to the TAV high-speed rail construction projects in Vicenza, Italy. The findings were reported by the activist group ‘I Boschi che Resistono’ following four independent samplings commissioned this summer.

Significant levels of pollutants, including PFBA, PFES, and TFA, were identified in the Ca’ Alte area of the Ferrovieri district, where a new railway overpass is planned, and beneath the Ferreto de’ Ferreti overpass, which is slated for demolition. Activists are calling for official institutional sampling and a review of land-use plans before further excavation begins.

While the activists noted that these independent results do not replace an official characterization of the soil, they highlight a potential gap in current environmental monitoring for the region.