Understanding TFA’s health risks and the urgent need for a ban of PFAS pesticides
REGISTER HERE (until 19/02)
PFAS pesticides are a major source of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a highly persistent “forever chemical” now found across Europe’s water bodies and food. This event aims to raise awareness about PFAS pesticides as the main source of TFA in groundwater and to highlight the urgent need to ban PFAS pesticides. It will also inform on EFSA’s ongoing assessment of TFA and discuss how to set health-protective thresholds.
Hosts: MEP Hélene Fritzon (SE, S&D) and MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (NL, Renew) and MEP Martin Häusling (DE, Greens/EFA).
Co-organisers: Générations Futures and PAN Europe
Moderator: Jorgo Riss
Where: European Parliament (limited capacity) & Online
When: 24 February 2026, 14:00–17:00
Language: German, English, and French
Programme:
14:00 | Opening statements by MEPs
- MEP Martin Häusling (DE, The Greens/EFA) - initiator of the event
- MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (NL, Renew)
14:10 | Session 1: Towards banning PFAS pesticides: a necessity for Europe
- EU regulatory landscape on PFAS pesticides and TFA (English) - Klaus Berend (Director E, DG SANTE)
- TFA contamination of EU groundwater due to PFAS pesticides (English) - Dr. Helena Banning, German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA)
- The EU water sector’s perspective: why pollution must be stopped at the source (English) - Sandra Olbrechts, Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft (BDEW)
- Ban in practice: the case of Denmark (English) - Dr. Signe Bonde Rasmussen, Danish Environmental Protection Agency
14:50 | Panel 1: MEP Martin Häusling, MEP Hélene Fritzon, François Veillerette (Spokesperson, Générations Futures), Sandra Olbrechts and Klaus Berend
15:20 | Coffee break
15:40 | Session 2: Protecting health: Setting safety limits against TFA exposure
- Setting health thresholds for TFA (English) - Dr. Guilhem De Sèze, Head of Department Risk Assessment Production, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
- A Critical review of EFSA threshold proposal and recommendations (English) - Dr. Peter Clausing, Toxicologist, co-author of the report ‘PFAS pesticides: a threat for human health and the environment’
16:10 | Panel 2: Dr. Guilhem De Sèze, Dr. Helena Banning, Dr Patrice Dufour (Biologist pharmacist, Liège University), Dr. Helmut Burtscher-Schaden (Environmental Chemist), and Dr. Angeliki Lysimachou (Head of Science and Policy, Toxicologist, PAN Europe)
16:50 | Concluding remarks:
- Dr. Angeliki Lysimachou (PAN Europe)
- François Veillerette (Générations Futures)
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REGISTER HERE (until 19/02)
Background: Since EU regulators first identified its groundwater contamination potential in 1998, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) has become one of Europe’s most widespread yet overlooked contaminants. It is now found in nearly all tested water bodies, soils, and food, and is highly persistent. TFA cannot be removed by conventional water treatment, causing ongoing environmental accumulation. Scientists warn that global build-up may threaten planetary boundaries. After F-gases, PFAS pesticides are the second major source of TFA, with emissions entering soil and groundwater.
In 2020, a developmental toxicity study, which industry was legally required to conduct, revealed adverse effects on foetal development, prompting Germany to propose classifying TFA as presumed toxic for reproduction (Category 1B). The study also identified impacts on thyroid function, immune response, and sperm production.
The European Commission has tasked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with reviewing the evidence and setting new health thresholds for TFA by July 2026. NGOs caution that these values will be critical to ensure adequate protection of EU citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, from this toxic, persistent and widespread pollutant.
Meanwhile, several Member States, including Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, have begun reviewing the authorisation of PFAS pesticides, leading to partial bans in Denmark. Under EU law, all Member States and the European Commission are required to take action.
