Sale of suspected PFAS pesticide increases in Denmark
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency suspects that an insecticide forms the forever chemical TFA, which can contaminate drinking water.
Minister of Environment Maria Reumert Gjerding (Socialist People's Party) is ready to ban PFAS pesticides if they threaten groundwater and drinking water. (Archive photo). (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
By Ritzau ([email protected]) 42 minutes ago
Sales of an insecticide suspected of being able to form the forever chemical TFA have increased in Denmark since 2015. This is stated by the Ministry of Environment in a press release. (https://mim.dk/nyheder/pressemeddelelser/2026/august/miljoestyrelsen-vil-have-undersoegt-yderligere-fem-pfas-sproejtemidler)
The substance in question is the active ingredient lambda-cyhalothrin, which is used in insecticides that can still be sold and used in Denmark.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency now wants to investigate a total of five PFAS pesticides, and Minister of Environment Maria Reumert Gjerding (Socialist People's Party) is ready to ban the substance.
"If the research shows what we fear, namely that these substances form the forever chemical TFA to such an extent that it threatens our groundwater and drinking water, then we will ban products containing lambda-cyhalothrin," she says.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has a justified suspicion that lambda-cyhalothrin and four other PFAS substances, which are still permitted in Denmark, can form TFA.
In 2024, products containing a total of 3,326 kg of lambda-cyhalothrin were sold. According to the Ministry of Environment, sales have increased since 2015.
TFA is an ultra-short-chain PFAS compound and is referred to as a forever chemical.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) updated its assessment of TFA in spring 2026 and now considers the substance to be harmful to human fetuses and to reproduction.
TFA has been found in 902 drinking water wells in Denmark between 2021 and 2024. According to the Ministry of Environment, this corresponds to 40 percent of the wells surveyed.
---------------------------
Funding for research project
---------------------------
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has therefore given the geological data centre GEUS 1.8 million Danish kroner for a research project that will investigate whether the five substances form TFA to such an extent that it threatens groundwater and drinking water.
The study will show whether there is a basis for withdrawing the approvals for the use of the active substances.
At the same time, the minister states that she has asked her ministry to assess the possibilities of a possible ban on the pesticides containing the five active substances based on the EU’s precautionary principle.
This is to be done while awaiting the research.
TFA is not itself used as a pesticide, but can be formed when certain fluorine-containing pesticides break down in soil and the environment.
In 2025, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency revoked 33 pesticides because studies documented that the substances broke down into TFA above the limit value.
To be able to regulate the substances under the pesticide rules – including possibly revoking a substance – it must be documented that the substance breaks down into TFA and whether this happens to an extent that exceeds the limit values.
According to the press release, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency assesses that the current TFA levels in drinking water wells do not pose a danger to humans.
The government has previously announced a national ban on spraying in vulnerable groundwater recharge areas.
"Danes should feel confident that the water coming out of the tap is clean – both today and in the future," says Maria Reumert Gjerding.
RITZAU
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=undefined)
Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.