The presence of pesticides containing PFAS substances has increased considerably in recent years in fruits and vegetables consumed in the European Union, according to associations.
- According to a report published by several associations, the presence of pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemical substances (PFAS) exploded between 2011 and 2021 in fruits and vegetables consumed in the European Union.
- The volume of fruits contaminated by PFAS residues increased by 220% during this decade, while that of plants jumped by 247%. And for good reason, these “eternal pollutants” are commonly used by farmers.
- Problem, “the continued accumulation of PFAS in soil, water, the food chain and the resulting cocktails present chronic risks for human health”, according to the associations, which are calling for them to be banned.
More and more per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemical substances (PFAS) in fruits and vegetables in Europe: according to a report published on February 27 by several associations, including Future generations And Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europethe presence of pesticides containing these “eternal pollutants” exploded between 2011 and 2021 in plants consumed in the European Union. This is the worrying result of various analyzes carried out by Member States on nearly 280,000 samples of fruit and vegetables.
More and more fruits and vegetables contaminated with PFAS in Europe
The volume of fruits contaminated by PFAS residues increased by 220% over the decade, the most affected being summer fruits, such as strawberries (37% contaminated in 2021), peaches (35%) or apricots (31%). For vegetables, proportionally less affected by this contamination, the increase is 247% over ten years, the most at risk being endives (42%) and cucumbers (30%). Among the 20 EU countries examined, the fruits and vegetables containing the most residues of “eternal pollutants” are those grown in the Netherlands (27%), Belgium (27%), and Austria (25%). ) or in Spain (22%).
PFAS are very poorly degradable pollutants that are usually found in many everyday products, such as food packaging, non-stick coatings and even cosmetics. But according to the report, these substances are also for agricultural use, in particular the fungicide fluopyram, the insecticide flonicamid and the fungicide trifloxystrobin, the most used since 2011.
“Forever pollutants” cause chronic health risks
According to a press release from Générations futures and PAN Europe, “the use of PFAS in pesticides leads to increasingly common ingestion” residues of these substances “among European consumers”. Gold, “the continued accumulation of PFAS in soils, waters, the food chain and resulting cocktails poses chronic risks to human health.”
These chemicals, “extremely persistent” in the environment, can in fact “contaminate populations through food, water or air […] “cause cancer, have effects on fertility and fetal development”, recalls Anses. They are also “suspected of interfering with the endocrine (thyroid) and immune systems”, what constitutes “the most critical effect for human health”.
As such, it therefore appears “urgent to [les] to forbid […] in all food products and animal feed in order to […] to protect the health of citizens” Europeans, alert the two associations.