Denmark bans 23 PFAS-linked pesticides over groundwater concerns

DENMARK – The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn approval for 23 pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-related active ingredients due to concerns over groundwater contamination. 

The 23 banned products widely used in Danish agriculture include active substances such as fluazinam, fluopyram, diflufenican, mefentrifluconazole, tau-fluvalinate, and flonicamid.

The banned pesticides must be phased out within 6–15 months, as DEPA continues to review ten additional pesticides and is expected to make decisions about their approval soon.

The decision to ban PFAS is based on a recent study by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), which confirmed that these products degrade into trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). 

This highly persistent substance exceeds the EU’s safety limit of 0.1 micrograms per liter in groundwater. 

The PFAS threat

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in various industrial and consumer products for their water- and stain-resistant properties. 

When used in agriculture, several of these substances can break down into TFA, which is now being detected in levels that surpass EU drinking water standards.

TFA has been classified by German authorities as potentially harmful to reproductive health and fetal development, making it a substance of serious concern across Europe.

Due to its chemical stability, TFA does not degrade easily and can accumulate in the environment, particularly in groundwater systems, posing long-term risks to drinking water supplies.

Together, these active substances accounted for approximately 28% of the total environmental and health-related impact from pesticide use in Denmark in 2023, based on sales data.

The Ministry for the Environment and Gender Equality will work in collaboration with agricultural stakeholders to identify and promote safe alternative solutions that minimize environmental harm while ensuring continued crop production.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has also urged the European Commission to initiate a comprehensive review of the remaining five PFAS-related active substances still approved in Denmark, aiming for a wider regulatory approach to prevent TFA pollution across the EU.

This move represents a significant step in the government’s broader effort to protect the environment and public health from the long-term effects of PFAS chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their inherent resistance to natural breakdown.

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