The French legislation also mandates regular testing of drinking water to detect a broad range of PFAS. Under new European Union regulations set to take effect next year, member states will be required to test their water supplies for 20 specific types of PFAS

The trend has continued into early 2025, exacerbating concerns over the health and psychological effects of prolonged low sunlight exposure. Across the country, nearly all major cities have recorded below-normal sunshine levels over the past 12 months

"It is a great victory in a two-pronged battle that we were fighting: an environmental battle against the polluting lithium batteries in these 'puffs', and a health battle for our schoolchildren," lawmaker Francesca Pasquini, the author of the bill

According to SPF, air pollution was responsible for approximately 40,000 deaths in France in 2021 alone. Beyond mortality, the study found a "significant burden" of morbidity, with tens of thousands of new cases of chronic illnesses linked to poor air quality every year

France's pre-pandemic depression rates were already high, and experts suggest the situation worsened with COVID-19. Studies across Europe highlight a growing mental health crisis, particularly affecting young people