The Forever Pollution Project, an extensive investigation into the contamination of European sites with toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, has been shortlisted for the IJ4EU Impact Award 2024.

The project is one of 10 nominees selected by independent evaluators organized by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, a partner in the IJ4EU fund.

The Forever Pollution Project (FFP) is a cross-border collaboration involving 16 newsrooms across Europe. The investigation reveals the widespread presence of nearly 23,000 PFAS-contaminated sites across the continent, chemicals linked to severe health issues including cancer and infertility.

“We’re very honored to be shortlisted together with such great investigations, and also very proud to bring environmental pollution to the forefront. We would like to thank the jury and we are very grateful to Arena for Journalism in Europe who made it possible to upscale the team from 5 to 30 journalists and supported our effort in many ways,” said Stéphane Horel, coordinator and one of the initiators of the FFP.

The project began in 2021 with a core group of journalists from five countries. In 2022, Arena for Journalism in Europe played a pivotal role in expanding the project’s reach, helping it grow to include 13 countries.

Arena for Journalism in Europe played an important role in the project’s development, leveraging its extensive network and resources to facilitate collaboration among investigative journalists across borders.

Additionally, Arena provided essential support, coordination of online meetings and introductions to data gathering methodologies, including providing access to the Collaborative Desk, Arena’s secure digital workspace for document sharing, which allowed the investigation to grow on a European scale.

The winners of the IJ4EU Impact Award will be announced on September 26, 2024, at the UNCOVERED Conference in Athens, Greece.