Residents of Jersey have been advised to undergo bloodletting to reduce high levels of 'forever chemicals' in their blood, following tests that revealed concentrations linked to health problems. Private drinking water supplies on the island were contaminated by firefighting foams containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), manufactured by US company 3M and used at Jersey Airport.
PFAS chemicals, which accumulate in the body, are associated with conditions including kidney and bladder cancer, thyroid disease, and immune deficiency. Bloodletting, a safe procedure that draws blood in measured amounts, must be repeated to lower PFAS levels. 'I just want this out of my body. I don't want to end up with bladder cancer,' said Sarah Simon, one of 88 residents with elevated PFAS levels.
The government established an independent PFAS scientific advisory panel, which recommended offering bloodletting to affected residents. Panel member Ian Cousins noted that while bloodletting is effective, it does not guarantee prevention or cure of associated diseases. The therapy costs approximately £100,000 upfront and up to £200,000 annually to treat 50 people. The panel is also considering the drug cholestyramine, which reduces PFAS more quickly and cheaply but may have side effects. The government plans to launch a clinical service by early 2025.
Contamination persisted for decades, with firefighting foam use starting in the 1960s and increasing in the 1990s. Jeremy Snowdon, a former airport engineer who drank contaminated water, has elevated PFAS levels and high cholesterol. Jersey discovered PFAS in groundwater in the mid-1990s, but residents in St Ouen's Bay were not moved to mains water until 2006. Graeme Farmer, who lived near the airport, has multiple myeloma, a leukaemia linked to PFAS, and believes his illness stems from polluted water.
Tests on 88 islanders showed 70% had levels of perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS) above safe thresholds, over 30% had elevated perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and 18% had high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). All these compounds are now banned under the Stockholm Convention. PFAS has also affected public water supplies; Jersey Water stopped using the most polluted borehole over 15 years ago but only ceased using five other contaminated sources in 2022. All reservoirs contain PFAS at medium risk levels, leading to concerns from residents outside the plume area.
