The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has asked the German authorities to revoke the authorisation of the pesticide products Banjo, Brodal and Luna Experience. The products contain PFAS pesticides that break down to TFA, a small highly persistent PFAS that is found everywhere in our drinking water and can be toxic to reproduction.
With the technical help of Pesticide Action Network Germany the organisation asks the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) to remove all TFA-forming pesticides from the market as quickly as possible. Trifluoroacetic acid – TFA – is a very persistent chemical that pollutes groundwater and drinking water.
PAN Europe has been campaigning for an EU wide ban on all TFA-generating PFAS pesticides, including the widely used active substances Fluazinam, Diflufenican and Fluopyram that are part of the above mentioned formulas.
Authorities need to be reminded of their legal responsibility
Members of PAN Europe in countries like Belgium, France, Netherlands and Sweden campaign for a ban of all pesticides formulations that contain PFAS active substances. Since the EU authorities agree that TFA can be toxic to reproduction, EU law foresees that it should be considered as a so-called ‘relevant metabolite’ – in other words a toxic breakdown product – that should not leach into ground water. This should lead to a re-evaluation and a subsequent ban of all pesticide products containing one of the 31 PFAS pesticide active substances still authorised in Europe. However, authorities are very slow in protecting our health, environment and water and need to be reminded by organisations from civil society and preferably also by water companies of their legal responsibility.
More information on PFAS pesticides and TFA
