“Perpetual pollutants” (PFAS), which are already present in water or soil, are increasingly found on plates: according to several NGOs, the presence of pesticides containing these chemical substances in fruits and vegetables increased between 2011 and 2021. consumed in Europe has exploded, particularly in summer fruits.
• Also read: Pesticides are increasingly being used worldwide
• Also read: Agriculture: Von der Leyen proposes withdrawing a text on reducing the use of pesticides
According to an analysis of official data from Member States' national programs for monitoring pesticide residues in food, carried out on 278,516 fruit and vegetable samples, the amount of fruit contaminated with PFAS residues increased by 220% between 2011 and 2021.
During this period, an average of 11.2% of the fruits examined contained residues of at least one PFAS. And in 2021, “on average a quarter of fruits grown nationwide” in the EU were affected by PFAS contamination.
The most affected are summer fruits such as strawberries (37% contaminated in 2021), peaches (35%) or apricots (31%), according to a report published on Tuesday by several associations, including Générations Futures and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe .
These two NGOs had already published a first study on the subject in November 2023, in which they denounced the sometimes unexpected presence of these pollutants in pesticides and showed that sales of chemical inputs containing PFAS had tripled since 2008.
For vegetables, which are relatively less affected by this contamination (traces in an average of 5.5% of samples), the increase is 247% between 2011 and 2021, with endives (42%) and cucumbers (30%) the most in 2021 are contaminated.
France will not be spared
PFAS, which get their nickname from the fact that they are very poorly degradable in the environment and partly from their harmful effects on health, are commonly referred to for their use in industry or in health products such as nonstick pan coatings.
But agriculture also uses these substances. According to the report, the most commonly used PFAS in agriculture between 2011 and 2021 were the fungicide fluopyram, the insecticide flonicamid and the fungicide trifloxystrobin.
“This source of contamination must not be neglected (…) because food is one of the most important and continuous routes of exposure to the harmful effects of these substances,” warned François Veillerette, spokesman, on Tuesday. from Future Generations during a video conference.
In the 20 countries examined, fruit and vegetables were grown in the Netherlands (27%), Belgium (27%), Austria (25%), Spain (22%), Portugal (21%), Greece (18%) and France ( 17%) are those that contain the most traces of PFAS.
In France alone, between 2011 and 2021, 12.2% of the fruit and 8% of the vegetables examined contained traces of at least one PFAS.
“The average proportion of fruit samples containing PFAS pesticide residues has increased by 617% over a 10-year period,” complain the NGOs. And for vegetables, the growth is 262%.
“This shows that France is not an exception to the rule,” notes Veillerette, as the country has just paused its Ecophyto plan to limit the use of pesticides and changed its measurement indicator.
“Chronic risk”
The fruits most contaminated with PFAS in France in 2021 are table grapes (48% with at least one residue), apricots (39%) and melons (37%). On the vegetable side, chicory (52%), eggplant (29%) and peppers (23%) are at the top of the black list.
The report's findings show that “the likelihood of finding PFAS on our plate is becoming increasingly important,” which “poses a chronic risk to the environment and health as these substances accumulate in our bodies,” emphasizes François Veillerette.
Last year, the European Union took a first step toward restricting the use of PFAS. However, pesticides classified as PFAS are excluded from the scope of this restriction because plant protection products are regulated by their own text.
According to Mr. Veillerette, it is “stupidity” not to include PFAS from pesticides in European legislation because “it is urgent to ban them (…) in all food and animal feed in order to (…” ) to protect the health of citizens”.