India is on the cusp of unleashing its own ecological nightmare as a former Italian chemical plant accused of contaminating water sources in Italy sets up shop in the western state of Maharashtra. The factory, now owned by Indian company Laxmi Organic Industries, has just begun production of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (Pfas), forever chemicals linked to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive disorders.
The Miteni factory, which closed down in 2018 after decades of producing Pfas, was the subject of a high-profile trial in Italy where its former executives were found guilty of environmental pollution and sentenced to prison. However, the company's equipment, patents, and processes – everything needed to produce Pfas – were sold to Laxmi Organic Industries for a fraction of the cost.
The Indian government has yet to regulate Pfas production, leaving experts warning that the country is woefully unprepared to deal with the toxic legacy. "If we look at the regulations, [Pfas] is not present in those standards," said Rajneesh Gautam, an environmental chemist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
The Lote Parshuram industrial district has a dismal environmental track record, having caused the livelihoods of fisher folk communities to collapse since its establishment in 1986. The local villages have long complained that the centralized wastewater treatment plant serving the area is not functioning properly, releasing polluted water directly into streams when it fails.
As international attention grows on the issue, Indian authorities are still nowhere near implementing stricter regulations on Pfas production. "That region has seen enough environmental destruction already," said Parineeta Dandekar, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People. "If more dangerous companies move in, it's always a risk."
The transfer of Miteni's toxic legacy to India raises questions about the power of multinational corporations to relocate production to countries with lax environmental regulations. As Claudia Marcolungo, a professor of environmental law at the University of Padua, noted, "I believe that this issue should be investigated, because the fact that Miteni's production, patents and machinery have been transferred to a country like India should lead us to reflect, at the very least, on the power that these multinationals have to relocate in countries where there is clearly a race to the bottom in terms of environmental protection."
For local communities already struggling with an unsafe environment, the arrival of Laxmi Organic Industries and its production of Pfas poses a grave risk. As one former Miteni worker revealed, being exposed to high levels of Pfas had led him to experience multiple health problems, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The clock is ticking for India to take action on this issue before it's too late.
The Miteni factory, which closed down in 2018 after decades of producing Pfas, was the subject of a high-profile trial in Italy where its former executives were found guilty of environmental pollution and sentenced to prison. However, the company's equipment, patents, and processes – everything needed to produce Pfas – were sold to Laxmi Organic Industries for a fraction of the cost.
The Indian government has yet to regulate Pfas production, leaving experts warning that the country is woefully unprepared to deal with the toxic legacy. "If we look at the regulations, [Pfas] is not present in those standards," said Rajneesh Gautam, an environmental chemist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
The Lote Parshuram industrial district has a dismal environmental track record, having caused the livelihoods of fisher folk communities to collapse since its establishment in 1986. The local villages have long complained that the centralized wastewater treatment plant serving the area is not functioning properly, releasing polluted water directly into streams when it fails.
As international attention grows on the issue, Indian authorities are still nowhere near implementing stricter regulations on Pfas production. "That region has seen enough environmental destruction already," said Parineeta Dandekar, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People. "If more dangerous companies move in, it's always a risk."
The transfer of Miteni's toxic legacy to India raises questions about the power of multinational corporations to relocate production to countries with lax environmental regulations. As Claudia Marcolungo, a professor of environmental law at the University of Padua, noted, "I believe that this issue should be investigated, because the fact that Miteni's production, patents and machinery have been transferred to a country like India should lead us to reflect, at the very least, on the power that these multinationals have to relocate in countries where there is clearly a race to the bottom in terms of environmental protection."
For local communities already struggling with an unsafe environment, the arrival of Laxmi Organic Industries and its production of Pfas poses a grave risk. As one former Miteni worker revealed, being exposed to high levels of Pfas had led him to experience multiple health problems, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The clock is ticking for India to take action on this issue before it's too late.
This is getting crazy 
! Indian companies are just gonna keep importing toxic chemicals from other countries like Italy and slap a new coat of paint on them? It's like they think the Earth has some kind of magic reset button 
. Newsflash: there isn't one. We've gotta take responsibility for our own messes, not just outsource them to someone else 
.
. It's like they're playing a game of catch-up and hoping nobody notices the toxic trail behind them. Well, I'm noticing, and so are plenty of other people 
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But that doesn't make it right. We need to start holding these companies accountable and forcing them to take responsibility for their actions 
.
. They don't need some new factory coming in and causing more harm. We need to act now and make sure that these corporations can't just waltz in and start polluting without consequence 
. This news about Laxmi Organic Industries setting up shop in Maharashtra is a huge red flag 
. I mean, we all know how toxic Pfas are, linked to cancer and cardiovascular diseases... it's just not worth the risk 
. It's like India is playing a game of catch-up, trying to regulate these toxic substances before they cause irreparable harm to our communities and ecosystems 
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. It's like they're taking advantage of us while we're not looking 
. It's time to think about the future of our planet and make some real changes 
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. It's time for India to take control of its environmental future and not let corporate greed get the best of it 
. The Indian government needs to step up and regulate these Pfas production ASAP 
.
. It's time for some real accountability 
.
I feel so bad for those fisherman communities in maharashtra who are already struggling with pollution 
and now they have to deal with this new factory that's just going to make things worse 
I mean isn't it their job to protect the environment? 
like, shouldn't they be looking out for countries that are getting taken advantage of by big corporations? 
i mean, we need stricter regulations on pfas production ASAP or else we'll be facing some serious health problems in the future... can't just leave it up to the indian government to sort it out, they need international pressure too