Machinery from Miteni, a former Italian fluorochemical plant in Vicenza that shut down in 2018 due to severe PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination, has been relocated and repurposed in Maharashtra. Miteni's operations in Italy led to widespread groundwater pollution affecting over 350,000 people through drinking water, with PFAS—known as "forever chemicals" for their persistence—linked to serious health issues including cancers, cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney damage, immune disruption, and reproductive disorders. In 2011, exceptionally high PFAS levels were detected in the plant's wastewater, and former workers showed some of the highest blood concentrations ever recorded. The plant faced prolonged scrutiny and bankruptcy, and in June 2024, an Italian court convicted former executives of environmental pollution and false accounting, issuing prison sentences.

After Miteni's bankruptcy, its assets—including machinery, patents, technical know-how, and production processes—were auctioned in 2019. Viva Lifesciences, a subsidiary of Indian company Laxmi Organic Industries (promoted by Harshvardhan Goenka), was the sole bidder and acquired them. The dismantled equipment was shipped to Mumbai by early 2023 and reassembled at a facility in the Lote Parashuram industrial area, managed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). The plant became fully operational in early 2025, positioned to produce fluorochemicals for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyes, cosmetics, and other applications. Laxmi Organic described the move as a strategic expansion into fluorochemicals, noting in shareholder transcripts that Miteni had operated legally under European standards.

The relocation has sparked controversy in Maharashtra, with NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleging on social media that the plant uses Miteni's machinery and is emitting PFAS, potentially repeating Italy's contamination issues in an area already facing industrial pollution challenges. Pawar questioned regulatory approvals, highlighting India's lack of specific PFAS laws. Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant sought a report from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), which stated that PFAS have not been manufactured at the facility so far, a notice has been issued to the company, and authorities are verifying import clearances. Laxmi Organic, in an exchange filing, asserted no discharge of hazardous effluents and full compliance with environmental norms.

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The case, highlighted by investigations from outlets like The Guardian, underscores broader concerns about the global transfer of hazardous chemical production to regions with potentially weaker regulations, allowing companies to relocate "downstream" amid tightening restrictions in Europe. Critics argue it extends Miteni's toxic legacy to Indian communities near villages and sensitive ecosystems, prompting calls for stricter oversight, environmental due diligence on imported equipment, and measures to prevent similar pollution risks in the future. As scrutiny continues, the facility's operations remain under monitoring by state authorities.

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