SUPPORTING A PFAS-FREE ECONOMY TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH FROM ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’

PFAS are a group of approximately 10,000 industrial chemicals widely used in everyday products and processes, from food packaging and clothing to pesticides and fire-fighting foams. Throughout their production, use and disposal, PFAS pollute our environment. These so called ‘forever chemicals’ now contaminate people, wildlife, food, and water around the world, contributing to a growing chemical pollution crisis. Fidra are working to demonstrate effective PFAS-free solutions in support of a PFAS-free economy in the UK. This has included case studies on school uniforms, paper and board food packaging and our current project, PFAS use in pesticides.

The Problem with PFAS

PFAS are highly persistent, mobile and have been connected to numerous adverse health impacts, including cancer1,2,3, immunotoxicity4,5 and fertility issues6,7,8. Despite mounting evidence of the potential harm, PFAS continue to be added to a wide variety of products, from clothing, furniture and cosmetics, to food packaging, cookware and pesticides.

PFAS pollution can be found all over the world, from the water running through the River Mersey9, to the slopes of Mount Everest10. PFAS have been found in air11,12, soil13, water9,14,15, crops16 and people globally17. They contaminate at least 600 wildlife species18 and there are more than 23,000 known contamination sites across Europe, 2,000 of which are defined as ‘hotspots’ where concentrations are considered hazardous to health19.

Their widespread use in products means PFAS can also burden waste processing and threaten the long-term success of a circular economy, a vital part of the UK’s environmental and waste management targets. Research has found that some forever chemicals can take over 1,000 years to degrade once in the environment20, meaning the legacy of PFAS could be felt for generations to come.

© Fidra

PFAS in Pesticides

PFAS are used in pesticides across the UK, providing a direct source of PFAS onto crops, soil and the wider environment21,22. PFAS contamination can threaten soil health, and due to the extreme persistence of these ‘forever chemicals’, there is no simple clean-up method23,24.

See our report on PFAS use in UK pesticides. Key findings:

  • PFAS pesticides are used across all agricultural crop sectors in the UK.
  • In 2022, PFAS pesticides were sprayed on the equivalent of more than 10.6 million hectares of arable crops.
  • PFAS pesticides represented 16% of the most used pesticides within the arable sector in 2022.
  • Six PFAS pesticides that were included on the arable sectors most used pesticides list have significantly increased in use between 2020 and 2022.
Read PFAS in pesticides report

PFAS use in Pesticides

PFAS can be intentionally added to pesticides for use as active or inert substances. They can be used as dispersive agents to enhance pesticide effectiveness, as well as making pesticides more stable and prolonging their efficacy25. PFAS may also contaminate pesticide products during the manufacturing process or from PFAS use in the storage containers26. 

Active Substances

There are 25 known PFAS active substances in use in UK pesticides, six of which have been identified as ‘Highly Hazardous’21, 22, 36, 37, 38.

Mefentrifluconazole for example is a PFAS active substance widely used in the UK and has been approved for use until 2029. Mefentrifluconazole was sprayed onto almost 1.5 million hectares of arable land in 202222, 39, the equivalent to covering the entirety of Northern Ireland. Flufenacet covered almost double this, being applied to 2.9 million hectares of arable land in 2022, totalling 531,000 kg22, 39. This herbicide can cause irrecoverable effects on phytoplankton community structure, the basis of freshwater ecosystems27.

Inert Substances

Inert substances, or co-formulants, can also be a route for PFAS use in pesticides28,29. These are every other chemical in the pesticide product other than the active substance, such as dyes and emulsifiers, and often account for the majority of the product.

As pesticide inert substances are not required to be disclosed by manufactures, PFAS-containing pesticides may be being applied to land without the user’s knowledge. Research indicates that inert substances in pesticides can also be lethal to pollinators and despite being understudied, are widespread in our environment30.

Impacts of PFAS Pesticides

The known persistence of these ‘forever chemicals’ means that PFAS levels can build in the environment, threatening soil health and food production for generations to come.  PFAS can harm soil health by altering soil microbial communities and reducing the biodiversity and connectivity of soil bacteria, all of which can impact crop yields23,24.

Once in the environment, PFAS can spread and accumulate in groundwater, crops and living organisms, building to potentially harmful concentration levels. Bioaccumulation of PFAS has been found in fruit, vegetables, flowers and grain crops16, as well as animals including cattle, sheep, chickens31, and honeybees32.

Scientists forecast that PFAS will continue to accumulate in our ecosystems, the effects of which are not yet fully understood33. To ensure long-term protection of soil health and food production, as well as public and environmental health, we must transition away from these harmful and persistent chemicals.

 

We are working directly with farmers and agronomists to protect against PFAS pollution on agricultural land. If you are a farmer or agronomist and would like to know more about PFAS in pesticides, get in touch: info@fidra.org.uk

The Solution

A PFAS-free economy 

The PFAS pollution crisis is one of the biggest chemical threats of our time. Fidra are therefore calling for an urgent transition towards a PFAS-free economy in the UK, restricting all avoidable uses whilst supporting innovation towards safer alternatives.

Many industries are already working to phase PFAS out of their supply chains and a growing number of PFAS-free solutions are readily available34,35. This must now be supported by a robust regulatory framework to ensure a just transition and level playing field across UK businesses.

PFAS use in Pesticides

To ensure long-term soil health and future food security, Fidra are calling on the UK Government to restrict PFAS use in pesticides and improve transparency of pesticide inert substances along supply chains.

We’re also asking farmers and agronomists to support sustainable alternatives to pesticides, such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), wherever possible, and where pesticides are still used, to talk with suppliers about the potential presence of PFAS.

If you are a farmer or agronomist working to reduce pesticide use or would like to know more about PFAS in pesticides, get in touch: info@fidra.org.uk.

An action plan for a PFAS-free economy

Fidra, alongside other health and environmental NGOs, have developed a joint Action Plan for transitioning the UK towards a PFAS-free economy. This 7-step plan outlines key opportunities to reduce PFAS pollution, support safer alternatives and champion sustainable product innovation. 

Read Action Plan

Resources

Forever Chemicals in Pesticides Factsheet

Learn why PFAS are in pesticides, and explore key facts about their usage and the impacts of PFAS pesticides. Use of PFAS in pesticides provides a direct source of environmental contamination, risking soil health and productivity for future generations.

Published: July 2024

Read Factsheet

PFAS Active Substances in UK Pesticides

This report investigates the use of PFAS as an active pesticide substance in the UK, with particular focus on the UK arable sector. Pesticide active substances present a direct route for PFAS into the environment, threatening soil health and productivity. PFAS are known to alter soil microbial communities and reduce the biodiversity and connectivity of soil bacteria, all of which can impact crop yields. 

Published: July 2024

Read Report

Call for Evidence for PFAS in Firefighting Foams Restriction Proposal

Fidra’s response to a Call for Evidence supporting a restriction on PFAS use in firefighting foams.

PFAS in firefighting foams are a significant source of environmental contamination. Research indicates that firefighting foams may be among the top contributors to PFAS contamination in soil, severely harming soil health and fertility.

Published: June 2024

Read Evidence Submission

NGO Joint Action Plan for PFAS

Fidra, alongside other health and environmental NGOs, developed a joint Action Plan for transitioning the UK towards a PFAS-free economy. This 7-step plan outlines key opportunities to reduce PFAS pollution, support safer alternatives and champion sustainable product innovation. 

Published: December 2023

Read Action Plan

Previous PFAS Case Studies

School Uniforms

Fidra have previously worked with UK supermarkets to successfully encourage a phase-out of PFAS-based stain resistant coatings in school uniforms. Find out more in our full report.

 

Food Packaging

In 2020, Fidra published a report, ‘Forever Chemicals in the Food Aisle’, demonstrating the widespread use of PFAS in paper and cardboard food packaging, and through engagement with the UK food sector, have seen major UK supermarkets commit to take action on PFAS in their food packaging. Read our full report.

Latest Blogs

BLOG: PFAS: A Global Contamination Crisis

BLOG: UK recommendations to combat PFAS pollution are finally published but are just the first step

BLOG: The Problem with PFAS in Pesticides

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