In an urgent call for action, Members of the European Pesticide Action Network (PAN Europe) projected a clear message onto the European Commission headquarters in Brussels demanding immediate political action to ban PFAS pesticides. This week (14-15 May) is the third time that EU Member states are meeting behind closed doors to discuss a ban on flutolanil, one of the PFAS pesticides that release trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). This reprotoxic "forever chemical" contaminates drinking water resources and plant-based food across the EU. Although the European Commission presented a legislative proposal to ban flutolanil in December, the decision has been stalled due to the failure of a dozen Member States to reach an agreement. [1]
Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, environmental chemist at GLOBAL 2000 and PAN Europe board member, added: "Recent tests of European wines have revealed worryingly high and rising levels of TFA. This should serve as a clear wake-up call: political indecision must not be allowed to further endanger public health."
Salomé Roynel, Policy Officer at PAN Europe, stated: "Flutolanil breaks down into TFA, a harmful and persistent pollutant that exceeds legal limits in groundwater for pesticide approvals. EU law demands a ban on such substances, yet Member States continue to delay action. They must now take responsibility and support its ban."
The ban on flutolanil is crucial, as it sets a precedent for the regulation of the remaining 30 PFAS pesticides, all of which contribute to TFA pollution. Failure to act would mean accepting the continued and unacceptable rise of TFA contamination in our drinking water and food.
According to sources, during the last SCOPAFF meeting in mid-March, two member states -Poland and the Czech Republic- opposed the Commission’s proposal to ban flutolanil. Twelve other Member States, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, did not support the proposal without clarifying their positions.
- The problem with TFA is explained in this short video
- Agenda of the SCoPAFF meeting (C. 06)
- For more pictures, please contact: communications [at] pan-europe.info
Notes:
[1] Summary report; 4-5 December 2024
Contact:
- Salomé Roynel, PAN Europe, salome [at] pan-europe.info, +33 7 86 39 72 74
- Dr Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, GLOBAL 2000, helmut.burtscher [at] global2000.at, +43 699 14 2000 34
