When chemicals are too dangerous for Europe but "legal" for us

What's Happening

When a product is banned in Europe or America for being toxic, companies don't stop making it. They just move the factory to India.

This is happening right now with PFAS—toxic "forever chemicals" used in non-stick pans, raincoats, food packaging, and firefighting foam.

The problem: PFAS never break down. They build up in blood, organs, and drinking water. They're linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, and pregnancy complications.

The question: If they're too dangerous for European children, why are they safe for Indian children?

The Italy Warning

In Veneto, Italy, a company called Miteni made PFAS for decades:

• Dumped waste into groundwater
• Contaminated water for 300,000+ people
• Blood tests found PFAS in nearly everyone
• Cancer rates increased, children got sick

Company response: Made profits for years, then declared bankruptcy when caught. Cleanup will cost billions. Victims got almost nothing.

The lesson we ignored: This exact pattern is now repeating in India.

How Companies Exploit Indian Laws

Three Legal Tricks

1. Regulatory lag

Indian regulations are 10-20 years behind. Same company, same chemical:

• Banned in Germany ✓
• Legal in India ✓
• Made by German-owned Indian subsidiary ✓

2. Technology transfer

European parent companies:

• License banned chemical formulas to Indian subsidiaries
• Sell equipment and expertise
• Collect royalties and profits
• Let Indian companies take all legal liability

3. Export loophole

Chemicals too dangerous for European use are:

• Manufactured in India by European subsidiaries
• Exported to countries with weak laws
• Never sold in Europe

Translation: "Too toxic for us, but fine for you to make."

Why India Is Vulnerable

• 85% of rural India depends on groundwater (easily contaminated, rarely tested)
• Environmental laws exist but enforcement is weak (lack of staff, funding, political will)
• Legal battles take 20+ years (poor communities can't afford lawyers)
• Testing is expensive (most areas never check for PFAS)

Result: PFAS contamination already found near industrial zones in Gujarat, Maharashtra, pharmaceutical plants, and airports. The real scale is likely much larger.

The Profit Calculation

Why do companies pollute despite knowing the harm?

Simple math:

• Cost of pollution controls: ₹100 crore
• Profit from avoiding controls: ₹50 crore/year
• Chance of getting caught: 20%
• Penalty if caught: ₹5 crore fine

Business decision: Pollute. It's cheaper.

When caught, the playbook is predictable:

1. Deny responsibility
2. Demand "more studies"
3. Fight in court for decades
4. Declare bankruptcy or restructure
5. Victims get nothing

Companies have: Lawyers, political connections, time, money

Communities have: Sick children, polluted wells, medical bills

Real Impact

This isn't about statistics. It's about:

• The farmer whose well water turned toxic
• The mother whose child has unexplained illness
• The village with unexplained cancer clusters
• The worker with liver disease from chemical exposure

By the time proof comes—if ever—the damage is done.

What Must Change

1. Automatic Ban Rule

Chemicals banned in their country of origin should be automatically restricted in India.

2. Parent Company Liability

Multinational companies licensing dangerous technology must share legal responsibility.

3. Mandatory Disclosure

Companies must publicly report:

• What chemicals they make
• Health risks known in other countries
• Water testing results
• Cleanup plans

The Bottom Line

PFAS contamination isn't an accident. It's a business model: Produce where laws are weak. Profit while you can. When people get sick, deny and delay. When caught, declare bankruptcy. Let communities suffer.

This continues because poisoning people is currently more profitable than preventing it.

If a chemical is too dangerous for European children, it's too dangerous for Indian children.

Until we close the regulatory gap, companies will keep using India as their toxic dumping ground.

Demand your local water authority test for PFAS. Transparency is the first step.