Will The Seine Be Clean Enough For Olympic Swimmers?
12:13 minutes
The Paris Summer Olympics are fast approaching. Opening ceremonies for the games kick off on July 26. And all eyes are on the notoriously polluted River Seine. Due to aging infrastructure, sewage has sometimes flowed directly into it. For the past 100 years swimming in the river was banned. Now, the French government has spent roughly $1.5 billion to upgrade sewage treatment in Paris in order for athletes to be able to swim in the Seine.
Earlier this week, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo was set to take a dip in the river to prove its cleanliness. In protest some Parisians threatened to poop in the Seine to show their dislike of the disruptions and high price tag of the Games.
The dip was postponed until after upcoming elections, but recent water quality tests indicate that the river is not yet safe to swim in.
Guest host Anna Rothschild talks about the current state of the river with Dr. Dan Angelescu, founder and CEO of Fluidion, a water testing company based in Paris, France.
Further Reading
- Read coverage of the chemicals that may not be tested for in the Seine via Le Monde.
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Segment Guests
Dan Angelescu
Dan Angelescu is Founder & CEO of Fluidion in Paris, France.
Segment Transcript
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About Shoshannah Buxbaum
@Shoshannah_BuxShoshannah Buxbaum is a producer for Science Friday. She’s particularly drawn to stories about health, psychology, and the environment. She’s a proud New Jersey native and will happily share her opinions on why the state is deserving of a little more love.