Suspected of PFAS: Now five pesticides are being scrutinized
Økologisk NuLast year, 33 pesticides were banned because they were found to be capable of forming TFA - a short-chain PFAS substance - in the environment. Shortly after the ban was announced, the then Minister Magnus Heunicke (S) acknowledged that authorities suspected five additional active substances of being able to form TFA but lacked the documentation to ban them. Now, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has granted the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, 1.8 million DKK for a research project to investigate whether these five substances form TFA to an extent that threatens our groundwater and drinking water. The project aims to determine whether there is a basis to revoke the approvals for the use of these active substances, according to a press release from the Ministry of Environment. “I am very concerned about the five PFAS substances, including lambda-cyhalothrin, which is suspected of forming TFA. Therefore, I look forward to seeing the results of GEUS’s investigation, which the Environmental Protection Agency has supported with 1.8 million kroner. If the research shows what we fear—that these substances form the forever chemical TFA to a degree that threatens our groundwater and drinking water—we will ban products containing lambda-cyhalothrin,” says Environment Minister Maria Reumert Gjerding (SF). She has also asked her ministry to assess possible actions regarding a potential ban on pesticides with these five active substances based on the EU’s precautionary principle for the sake of drinking water. Rising sales The five suspected substances are lambda-cyhalothrin, oxathiapiprolin, picolinafen, pyroxylam, and tefluthrin. In 2024, a total of 3,326 kg of lambda-cyhalothrin was sold, and sales have increased since 2015, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. ECHA, the EU’s chemical agency, concluded two months ago that TFA can harm unborn children and reduce our ability to have children. ECHA therefore recommends that the EU officially categorize TFA as harmful to reproductive health. The Environmental Protection Agency assesses that the current TFA levels in drinking water wells do not pose a danger to humans.
Last year, 33 pesticides were banned because they were found to be capable of forming TFA - a short-chain PFAS substance - in the environment.
Shortly after the ban was announced, acknowledged that the then Minister Magnus Heunicke (S), suspected five additional active substances of being able to form TFA, but lacked documentation to ban them.
Now, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has granted the Danish Geological Survey, GEUS, a commitment of 1.8 million DKK for a research project to investigate whether these five substances form TFA to such an extent that it threatens our groundwater and drinking water. It will show whether there is a basis to revoke the approvals for the use of these active substances, according to a press release from the Ministry of Environment.
“I am very concerned about the five PFAS substances, including the substance lambda-cyhalothrin, which is suspected of forming TFA. Therefore, I look forward to seeing the results of GEUS’s investigation, which the Environmental Protection Agency has supported with 1.8 million kroner. If the research shows what we fear — that these substances form the forever chemical TFA to such an extent that it threatens our groundwater and drinking water — we will ban products containing lambda-cyhalothrin,” says Environment Minister Maria Reumert Gjerding (SF).
She has also asked her ministry to assess the options for action regarding a possible ban on pesticides with these five active substances based on the EU’s precautionary principle for the sake of drinking water.
Increasing sales
The five suspected substances are lambda-cyhalothrin, oxathiapiprolin, picolinafen, pyroxylam, and tefluthrin.
In 2024, a total of 3,326 kg of lambda-cyhalothrin was sold, and an increase in sales has been observed since 2015, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
ECHA, the EU’s chemical agency, concluded two months ago that TFA can harm unborn children and reduce our ability to have children. ECHA therefore recommends that the EU officially categorize TFA as harmful to reproductive health.
The Environmental Protection Agency assesses that the current TFA levels in drinking water wells do not pose a danger to humans.