Dioxin pollution from waste incinerators continues to cause global concerns. A study from April 2025 revealed alarming dioxin levels in Spain and France. But the dioxin pollution discovered in Lausanne in 2020 turns out to be one of the most severe cases in Europe. For nearly 40 years, Switzerland's fourth-largest city turned a blind eye to some of its residents being exposed to dioxin levels in the soil up to 32 times higher than WHO recommendations. Despite a significant number of cancer cases, authorities have kept using a reassuring tone, relying on a study now disputed by several international experts. Residents are living in fear and demanding answers. What are the risks of developing cancer or serious consequences for their children? Who knew what and for how long? This is an exclusive RTS investigation.

Filming Locations
Lausanne (historical dioxin pollution, testimonies from local residents, soil decontamination).
Massy, France (mentioned, similar case of dioxin pollution).
Seveso, Italy (mentioned, historical reference to the 1976 disaster).
Belgium (mentioned, the 1989 dioxin chicken health crisis).
Bari, Italy (mentioned, medical expertise on the effects of industrial pollution).

Main Contributors
Bruno Barthélémy, retired doctor, resident living near the incinerator, and lymphatic cancer patient.
Cathy Barthélémy, retired nurse, Bruno's wife, suffering from breast and pancreatic cancers.
Alfred Bernard, Belgian professor and expert on dioxin.
Agostino Di Caro, medical specialist in industrial pollution at the Bari University Hospital.
Pascal Finet, former mayor of Massy in France, who led a similar legal battle.

Key Themes
Historical dioxin pollution caused by an incinerator in Lausanne, Switzerland, between 1958 and 2005, with levels 32 times higher than safety standards.
Scientific dispute over the exposure study, which European experts deemed methodologically inadequate, supported by victims' associations fighting for justice to be served.
Political responsibilities and multiple oversight failures by the authorities despite numerous warnings since 1976.

Key Figures
240 hectares affected by dioxin pollution in Lausanne.
100 million francs estimated for complete on-site decontamination over 10 to 15 years.

Quotes
Alfred Bernard, Belgian expert: "Scientifically, the official studies are not sufficiently well-founded. They are inconclusive precisely because they do not take into account the most exposed and at-risk population."
Agostino Di Caro, Italian doctor: "This conclusion is supported neither by the study's design nor by the data presented. This very preliminary report is inconclusive."