also see:  monitoring 

‘Sticky’ pine needles could provide clues about forever chemicals in Minnesota’s air (MPR News, 25 November 2025)      'It turns out that coniferous needles make surprisingly good natural air monitors. They have a waxy surface that contaminants easily stick to.    “That air pathway is really important for moving PFAS all around the environment — not just in Minnesota, but globally,” she said.     In the lab, scientists will test the needles for 75 different PFAS compounds, far more than they typically screen for in drinking water.      Kaylie Donelson, an environmental chemist, was the lead author of that study while she was a graduate student at NCSU. She said the pine needle testing provided a “fingerprint” showing the evolution of forever chemicals over decades.     “We could see PFAS pop up over time, and then, as they were phased out of use, we could watch them go back down,” Donelson said. “We could see the PFAS that were specific to the airport versus near the manufacturing plant, and kind of see how far those traveled.”     A North Carolina study, published in 2022, detected 70 PFA, including both traditionally monitored legacy perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and their emerging replacements such as chlorinated derivatives, ultrashort chain PFAAs, perfluoroalkyl ether acids including hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO–DA, “GenX”) and Nafion byproduct 2, and a cyclic perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) analog.' The collections were done by volunteers.

filed under monitoring and pesticide fact sheets/Polyfluorinated pesticides and PFAs / monitoring

also see Legislation/regulatory/USA p.2, mixture effects  and remediation/removal, children 2, fungicides, Sewage Sludge, herbicides 

  'At least 60% of active ingredients approved for use in common pesticides over the last 10 years fit the most widely accepted definition of Pfas, and about 40% overall, a 2023 analysis of EPA data found.' 

Diflufenican breaks down into TFA and must be banned (PAN Europe, April 23, 2026)  The case against diflufenican is now clear-cut. This #herbicide, widely applied on winter cereals across Europe, breaks down into #TFA, an ultra-persistent "forever chemical" that is accumulating in groundwater and polluting our drinking water.  Evidence shows that the (European) legal threshold for groundwater is breached by diflufenican under real-use conditions. The European Commission must immediately propose its non-renewal in accordance with EU law.   SNAP Comment:: diflufenican was first registered in Canada on 22 February 2024 for use in soybeans and corn. 

EU Member States agree to ban flufenacet - PAN Europe calls for immediate action on all PFAS pesticides    (PAN Europe, March 13, 2025)   As of end of November 2025, flufenacet is no longer registered for sale in Canada but diflufenican is with 4 products.

EPA Promotes PFAS-Contaminated Sewage Sludge/Biosolids While Halting Regulatory Restrictions (USA)   (Beyond Pesticides, August 3, 2026) A regulation proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with a comment period ending September 4, 2026, will allow sewage sludge, also called biosolids, fertilizer used in agriculture and other land management to contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Contaminants in sewage sludge/biosolids have been widely recognized for decades, leading to regulations.The lawsuits against producers of sewage sludge fertilizer cite test results showing PFAS residues in the companies’ products and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators. EPA has published a list of 726 chemicals found in biosolids in the National Sewage Sludge Surveys (2022). This list does not include PFAS, which are emerging contaminants of biosolids although they publicly disclosed findings of PFAS in sewage sludge/biosolids in 2001 with the release of the agency’s National Sewage Sludge Survey. 

Fraud scandal in EU pesticide approval system has kept neurotoxic pesticide on the market for years Pan europe (pane), 2 July 2026      'The fungicide fluazinam can harm brain development, but this evidence was effectively hidden from regulators for more than a decade- new research from scientists at Stockholm University has revealed.    It is not the first case of regulatory fraud involving pesticides. It should lead to immediate withdrawal of fluazinam pesticide products from the market, legal sanctions for those responsible, and a comprehensive review of how regulatory studies are conducted, reported and assessed.'  A developmental neurotoxicity study conducted in 2003–2004 by the industry-contracted laboratory Huntingdon Life Sciences found major adverse effects on brain development in offspring exposed to the pesticide before birth. Yet the study was never submitted by the manufacturer (ISK Biosciences Europe), who had commissioned it, during fluazinam's 2009 EU renewal process.    When the study was re-examined, researchers identified multiple instances of false reporting and incorrect statistics that masked harmful effects on brain development.   We need 'better pesticide reviews instead of weakening the regulations.'   'Fluazinam is also a PFAS pesticide and emitter of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)- a common breakdown product of PFAS pesticides, which is widely detected in drinking water, groundwater and plant-based food. TFA will soon be classified as ‘toxic to reproduction’ category 1B 2, which means all PFAS pesticides must be banned. Another reason for fluazinam to be taken immediately off the market.' Llink to study in the article..  SNAP Comment: There are 15 pesticide formulations containing Fluazinam currently registered in Canada. 

filed under children 2, fungicides and PFAS

Literature Review Documents Enhanced Toxicity of Chemical Mixtures in Aquatic Organisms with PFAS Exposure   (Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2026) Published in Toxics, a review finds that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can heighten the risks to exposed organisms from environmental contaminants. Mixtures of these compounds can negatively impact the nervous, cardiovascular, immune, and reproductive systems, particularly in aquatic organisms, and threaten overall biodiversity. The review highlights synergistic effects (greater in combination) observed in mixtures, such as PFAS with pesticides and microplastics, that can cause enhanced oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, developmental defects, and reproductive dysfunction, among others.  PFAS in agriculture represents a large source, as PFAS can be pesticide active ingredients, used in the plastic containers that pesticides are stored in, and as surfactants in pesticide products. 

U.S. Geological Survey Finds PFAS Pesticides In California Streams   (Beyond Pesticides, April 8, 2026) Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed pesticide and PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) contamination in ten agricultural streams in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys (Central Valley) in 2024, detecting 60 pesticides, synergists, and associated transformation products, including 12 fluorinated pesticides (Dithiopyr, Trifluralin, Fluridone, Oxyfluorfen, Penoxsulam, Flubendiamide, Bifenthrin, Flonicam, Indoxacarb, Cyhalothrin, Fluopyram, and Penthiopyrad) that meet the OECD definition of qualifying as PFAS. It is alarming to learn that “the OECD fluorinated pesticides were generally detected more frequently and at higher concentrations” relative to the 48 other compounds.  Relatedly, research finds products containing three of the detected pesticides (Methoxyfenozide, Imidacloprid, and Piperonyl Butoxide) associated with various PFAS, and according to the authors, there are a handful of active ingredients, such as the insecticide Methoxyfenozide and the fungicide Azoxystrobin, detected in 100 percent of collected samples.source.  Only 57 of potentially thousands of PFAS chemicals were targeted due to the scope of the study. 

New filtration technology could be gamechanger in removal of Pfas ‘forever chemicals’    Researchers found a new way to filter and destroy Pfas chemicals at 100 times the rate of current systems (The Guardian, 23 January 2026.)      'The LDH material Rice developed is a variation of similar materials previously used, but researchers replaced some aluminum atoms with copper atoms. The LDH material is positively charged and the long-chain Pfas are negatively charged, which causes the material to attract and absorb the chemicals, Wong said.     “There you go – it just soaks it in to the order of 100 times faster than other materials that are out there,” Wong added.     Pfas are virtually indestructible because their carbon atoms are bonded with fluoride, but Rice found that the bonds could be broken if the chemicals in the material were heated to 400-500C – a relatively low temperature. The fluoride gets trapped in the LDH material and is bonded to calcium. The leftover calcium-fluoride material is safe and can be disposed of in a landfill, Wong said.     The process works with some long-chain Pfas that are among the most common water pollutants, and it also absorbed some smaller Pfas that are commonplace. Wong said he is confident the material can be used to absorb a broad array of Pfas, especially if they are negatively charged.'There are some skeptics as the system is complex.

Republicans aim to exempt major polluters from Pfas cleanup costs  Water treatment and landfill companies given chance to make case that EPA rules should not apply to them ( The Guardian, 24 December 2025)       Over industry objections, the Environmental Protection Agency in April 2024, under Joe Biden, put in place the rules when it designated PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the nation’s Superfund law.     The designation gives the EPA the option to require polluters to pay for cleanups, though it isn’t mandated, and the agency has already said it in many cases may not take enforcement action against water utilities.     Still, reversing the rule has been at the top of industry’s wishlist since Trump’s election, but the EPA in September reaffirmed the rule. The hearings represent a first step toward attacking the rule from a different angle by chipping away at it, public health groups opposed to the plan say.    The water utility industry, which has often strongly opposed to new clean water rules in recent decades, argues that it should not be liable for contaminated water pollution or contaminated drinking water because it is not the source of the chemicals.       Industry spits virtually unchecked amounts of Pfas into the nation’s sewer system and surface water, creating a problem for the utilities.   Utilities and state agencies typically have the power to order polluters to stop discharging Pfas into the sewer system, and the process is not difficult, advocates say.   SNAP Comment: a water filter has to be certified to remove PFAs. There must be a cost involved or the utilities would not be fighting it. 

Toxic substances in your suds? Study finds PFAS in local water used to brew beer (EWG, May 12, 2025)    Scientists at RTI International tested 23 different beers from around the U.S. and international beers for sale in the U.S. and found over half contained measurable amounts of PFAS. As the world’s third most-consumed beverage, it could increase PFAS exposure for those drinking it. ....They discovered that beer was more likely to contain forever chemicals (PFAs) when brewed in areas with water known to be contaminated with the toxic chemicals – such as parts of California, Michigan and North Carolina.... Smaller, local breweries were especially affected, because they probably do not have advanced water filtration systems that could reduce or eliminate PFAS. Breweries, like households and others that rely on municipal water supplies, receive drinking water laced with forever chemicals because of years of industrial PFAS pollution. ...S ome of the beer even had levels of PFOS or PFOA – two of the best-studied and notorious PFAS – that exceeded the level the Environmental Protection Agency now considers safe for drinking water.       SNAP Comment:  see Water talk: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water sheet (Government of Canada, 2024-08-13) The objective of 30 ng/L applies to the sum of 25 specific PFAS and serves to reduce potential exposure to PFAS through drinking water while the formal guidelines are being revised. An objective is a guideline, not enforceable by law. ...see article  on How to reduce your exposure to PFAS in drinking water  on link below.   The current data we have on PFAS in Canadian freshwater sources and drinking water are limited. The data we do have suggest that PFAS are present across Canada at levels generally below the objective.   Health Canada does not provide testing nor interpretation of the results of water quality tests. For water quality concerns, testing and interpreting results, contact your municipal service provider, local drinking water or health authority. Dale tells me that, in SK, pesticides are not regularly tested by municipalities because of cost. Find out if you municipality is testing for PFAs in water. This could apply to Canadian beer if PFAs are high in drinking water. 

California farms applied millions of pounds of Pfas to key crops, study finds     ‘Forever chemicals’ sprayed on almonds, grapes, tomatoes and other crops as activists warn of ‘obvious problem’    (Tom Perkins, The Guardian,18 Nov 2025)      California farms applied an average of 2.5m lb of Pfas “forever chemicals” per year on cropland from 2018 to 2023, or a total of about 15m lb, a new review of state records shows.  The chemicals are added to pesticides that are sprayed on crops such as almonds, pistachios, wine grapes, alfalfa and tomatoes, the review of California department of pesticide regulation data found. The Environmental Working Group non-profit put together the report. The risk for uptake of Pfas is likely higher in water-rich fruits and vegetables, because water attracts the chemicals, and research has shown Pfas may concentrate at dangerous levels in some produce. The chemicals also pollute water supplies and present a higher risk to the often low-income and Latino farm workers.   At least 60% of active ingredients approved for use in common pesticides at the federal level over the last 10 years fit the most widely accepted definition of Pfas, a 2023 analysis of EPA data found.  The Pfas in pesticides are short chain Pfas, meaning they are small and move widely throughout the environment. Many break down into Tfa, a type of Pfas that is accumulating around the world at levels higher than any other Pfas compound. ... but there is little health data for many, and what does exist points to serious health risks. The chemicals can also take hundreds or thousands of years to break down once in the environment.

Trump officials set to approve ‘forever chemical’ as pesticide ingredient   Critics say that fifth Pfas Trump’s EPA has proposed for approval this year would put food and water supply at risk (The Guardian, 10 November 2025)      'The latest ingredient, called Epyrifenacil, can break down into a smaller forever chemical called trifluoroacetic acid (Tfa). 'The substance would be sprayed on corn, soybeans and wheat,..   Four of the five pesticides proposed for approval this year have active ingredients that break down into Tfa, a compound that is considered a Pfas per the definition used in by the vast majority of governments, scientists and regulatory agencies around the world.        Pfas are a class of about 16,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems. They are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down in the environment.      At least 60% of active ingredients approved for use in common pesticides over the last 10 years fit the most widely accepted definition of Pfas, and about 40% overall, a 2023 analysis of EPA data found.     The chemicals are used as an active ingredient in pesticides to kill weeds, insects or fleas on pets. When included as inactive ingredients, Pfas are likely to be used as surfactants and to help the chemicals disperse or be absorbed.'

Assessing the impact of perfluoroalkyl substances on liver health: a comprehensive study using multi-donor human liver spheroids (Lucy Golden-Mason et al, Environment International, Volume 203, September 2025, 109763 through Science Direct)   'Our findings suggest that PFAS disrupt liver metabolism and may promote pro-oncogenic signaling through compound- and sex-specific mechanisms. These insights enhance our understanding of PFAS hepatotoxicity and underscore the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in future toxicological and public health assessments.'

EPA Approves Four New Pesticides That Qualify as PFAS    Despite MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) promises to reduce chemical exposures, experts warn the Trump administration is approving a wave of ‘frightening’ pesticides. (By Lisa Held, Civil Eats, September 8, 2025)       “At a time when most industries are transitioning away from PFAS, the pesticide industry is doubling down. They’re firmly in the business of selling PFAS.”        Because the EPA uses a different, narrower definition of PFAS, the agency does not categorize the new pesticides as falling into that category. And based on their chemical structure, they are likely not as persistent or harmful as the widely used PFOS and PFOA that have wreaked havoc on farms to date. But they still are likely to persist for decades or even centuries, and Americans are already being widely exposed to them. And experts say the approvals come at a time when the administration is also rolling back other policies that were beginning to address all forever chemical contamination in the food supply.       Under the Trump administration, the OCSPP is being run by three industry insiders. Nancy Beck, formerly an executive at the American Chemistry Council, who previously pushed the EPA to weaken rules on PFAS in consumer products; Lynn Ann Dekleva, a former DuPont executive; and Kyle Kunkler, who has lobbied against pesticide regulations for the American Soybean Association.

USA: PFAS in Pesticides  (Center for Food Safety, 2024 or 2025)      A peer-reviewed study published in July 2024 confirms that PFAS are increasingly being added to U.S. pesticide products, contaminating waterways and posing potential threats to human health.

The study's major findings include:

• 14% of all U.S. pesticide active ingredients are PFAS, including nearly one-third of active ingredients approved in the past 10 years.
• PFOA and PFOS, thought to be among the most toxic PFAS chemicals, have been found in some pesticide products, likely from the leaching of fluorinated containers these products are stored in, and other unknown sources.
• PFAS ingredients in pesticide products have been found in streams and rivers throughout the country.
• Pesticides can accumulate PFAS from multiple sources, leading to mixtures of different PFAS chemicals in containers.
• The current U.S. pesticide regulatory framework is not equipped to adequately identify and assess the risks from PFAS in pesticides.

A 2022 study found seven out of ten insecticides contained PFAS chemicals, with one insecticide, Spiromesifen, containing PFOS at a level as high as 19m parts per trillion (ppt), a sharp contrast to EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level Goal of zero ppt.       Currently, there are around 200 pesticide ingredients that are currently registered which qualify as PFAS chemicals. PFAS are also present in the containers which pesticides are stored in, where they eventually leach into the product. About 20% of pesticides are stored in these types of fluorinated plastic.

SNAP Comment: According to Meg Sears, the PMRA was recently unable to produce a list of pesticides containing PFAs.

see main page for a partial list of pesticide containing fluoride registered in Canada.

B.C. launches lawsuit against makers of 'forever chemicals'     The defendants are companies that have made perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl   (CBC,The Canadian Press Jun 21, 2024)  British Columbia PFAS class action is a proposed national lawsuit filed by the BC government in June 2024 against PFAS manufacturers, seeking to recover costs for cleaning up "forever chemical" contamination in Canadian drinking water system.    It targets PFAS makers for product defects and failure to warn, and is aiming to represent all Canadian municipalities and governments dealing with PFAS in water.  The goal is to get manufacturers to pay for the expensive detection and removal of PFAS from water supplies.  You don't need to sign up; it's a government-led action for public systems. If certified, you'd be automatically included if you're part of the defined group, but the focus is on governments seeking funds for system-wide fixes.   The lawsuit is moving through the court system in BC, with Koskie Minsky LLP tracking it as a significant case against chemical manufacturers. " He said the chemicals contain a carbon-fluorine bond, the strongest bond in organic chemistry, earning them the ;forever chemical' nickname. "These carbon-fluorine bonds are extremely resilient and extremely strong, they cannot be broken down easily," he said. "Once you manufacture these products, they are very difficult to degrade and be removed, so they stay in the environment for years."  SNAP Comment: What I can't get from this article is how many chemicals we are talking about. First there were 2 the world became aware of. They were replaced by unregulated PFAS. Now the EPA lists 15,000 PFAs on the market. and we keep approving formulants and pesticides with that same chemistry. They are all forever chemicals and will present the same problem.

Water talk: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water (Government of Canada,  2024-08-13)   Includes section on How to reduce your exposure to PFAS in drinking water     'We worked with provinces, territories and other federal departments to develop an objective of 30 nanograms per litre (ng/L) for a sum of 25 specific PFAS measured in drinking water.'   The current data we have on PFAS in Canadian freshwater sources and drinking water are limited. The data we do have suggest that PFAS are present across Canada at levels generally below the objective. The concentrations of PFAS in freshwater and drinking water may be higher near:

• facilities that use large amounts of these chemicals
• locations where fire-fighting foams containing PFAS were used to put out a fire
• landfills and wastewater treatment plants

PFAS can travel long distances through soil, water and air. As a result, PFAS can be found in freshwater and drinking water in areas that are far away from where they entered the environment.     Health Canada does not provide testing nor interpretation of the results of water quality tests. For water quality concerns, testing and interpreting results, contact your municipal service provider, local drinking water or health authority.

Evolving PFAS Regulations in Canada: What you need to know (Environment Journal, June 23, 2025) 'Beyond the focus on PFAS in environmental media, a Mandatory Section 71 Notice was put in place by the federal government in July 2024 which mandated reporting by manufacturers, importers, and users of 312 specified PFAS in the 2023 calendar year.' SNAP Comment: 312 out of 16,000....

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Information sheet (Government of Canada, 2025-09-26) includes a section called : Existing risk management at the time of the assessment:

• The Objective for Canadian Drinking Water Quality – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances was published by Health Canada in 2024. It recommends a single treatment-based value for a group of PFAS in Canadian drinking water. The objective of 30 ng/L applies to the sum of 25 specific PFAS and serves to reduce potential exposure to PFAS through drinking water while the formal guidelines are being revised.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began enforcing an interim standard for PFAS in biosolids in October 2024
• Reducing risks from known federal contaminated sites through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan
• and many more 

« Contaminants éternels » : Drummondville forcée de dévoiler des données « secrètes »Une concentration très, très élevée      'La concentration détectée dans les eaux usées provenant du site d’enfouissement de Drummondville est de 9900 ng/l, ..   Même après avoir été traitées, les eaux usées qui sont rejetées dans la rivière Saint-François contiennent toujours des PFAS puisque la Ville ne possède pas l'équipement spécialisé pour les traiter. Dans le rapport rendu public, 257 ng/l ont été détectés.,  plus de 8 fois l'objectif federal d’une concentration maximale de 30 ng/l de PFAS dans l’eau potable.    Toutefois, il n’existe actuellement aucune norme au Québec quant à la quantité de PFAS qui peuvent être rejetés dans les réseaux d’égouts ou l’environnement par une entreprise.

Propagation des contaminants vers les boues épandues dans les champs?   Les experts croient qu’une partie des PFAS qui arrivent à l’usine des eaux usées de la Ville s’accumulent dans les boues municipales. Il s’agit de la matière solide qui résulte du traitement des eaux. C’est très probable dans ce cas que les biosolides contiennent des PFAS, souligne la professeure au Département des sciences de la terre de l’Université de Toronto, Miriam L. Diamond. Drummondville confirme que les biosolides sont utilisés comme engrais dans les champs.    Un nouveau guide du gouvernement du Québec imposera certaines exigences dès 2026 sur la quantité de PFAS dans les boues municipales            SNAP English summary: Extremely high levels of PFAs (9900 ng/l,) in a site in Drummondville,QC.Even after a second municipal treatment, the level released in the St-Francois river is over 8 times (257 ng/l) what is acceptable in drinking water (30 ng/l ). The rest is likely accucmulated in sewage sludge which is then spread in fields, spreading the problem around. 

 also see food/ p3 

High levels of 'forever chemical' TFA in everyday cereal products all across Europe (PAN Europe, December 4, 2025)    A new PAN Europe investigation reveals high levels of the forever chemical trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in everyday cereal products consumed across Europe. TFA is an ultra-short #PFAS and the breakdown product of PFAS pesticides and F-gases.  The study analysed 66 conventional cereal products from 16 European countries, including breakfast cereals, pasta, croissants, bread, and flour. The results are alarming:

• TFA was found in 81.8% of samples, averaging 78.9 μg/kg with peaks up to 360 μg/kg.
• The average TFA level was 107 times higher than in tap water.
• Wheat-based products were 7.7 times more contaminated, reflecting how efficiently TFA is absorbed by this staple crop.
• 81.8% of samples exceeded the EU’s default Maximum Residue Limit for substances toxic to reproduction or endocrine disruptors, putting children and pregnant people especially at risk.    

These findings make it clear that our diet - not just drinking water - is a major pathway of human exposure to this persistent and highly mobile PFAS chemical.

New Study Reveals Alarming Levels of ‘Forever Chemical’ TFA in bread, pasta, and breakfast cereals (PAN Europe, June 3, 2025) PAN Europe and Global 2000 call for an immediate ban of PFAS pesticides.      In conventional grain products, the average levels were so high that a health risk to children can no longer be ruled out," warns study author Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, an environmental chemist at GLOBAL 2000. This conclusion was reached by comparing the levels found with the current risk assessments of the health authorities in the Netherlands and Belgium.       Professor Hans Peter Arp, an internationally renowned environmental chemist and TFA researcher  3, sees the study results as further confirmation of the massive and accelerated accumulation of TFA in water, soil, and plants, which poses a serious threat to planetary boundaries      TFA is a breakdown product of PFAS pesticides and industrial chemicals. Due to its extreme persistence and water solubility, TFA accumulates in water resources and living organisms. Recent soil analyses by German environmental authorities confirm that agricultural soils are now a major reservoir of TFA, which partly explains its accumulation in food crops.

Alarming’ increase in levels of forever chemical TFA found in European winesWines produced after 2010 showed steep rise in contamination of trifluoroacetic acid, analysis finds (The Guardian, 23 April, 2025)    '“The wines that contained the highest concentration of TFA, on average, were also the wines we found with the highest amount of pesticide residue,” said Salomé Roynel from Pesticide Action Network Europe, which has called on the European Commission and EU member states to ban Pfas pesticides.... The results from 10 European countries showed no detectable amounts of TFA in old wines; a “modest increase” in concentrations from 13 micrograms per litre to 21 between 1988 and 2010; and a “sharp rise” thereafter, reaching an average of 121 micrograms per litre in the most recent wines.    Pfas are chemicals that are widely used in consumer products, some of which have been shown to have harmful effects on people.   “Overall they are consistent with what the scientific community knows about the alarming rise of TFA in essentially anything we can measure,” he said. “They also provide further evidence that Pfas-pesticides can be a major source of TFA in agricultural areas, alongside other sources such as refrigerants and pharmaceuticals.”       The main sources of TFA are thought to be fluorinated refrigerants known as F-gases, which disperse globally, and Pfas pesticides, which are concentrated in agricultural soil. Concentrations of F-gases rose after the 1987 Montreal protocol banned ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, while Pfas pesticides are thought to have become widespread in Europe in the 1990s.    A study in November using field data from southern Germany revealed a “significant increase” in TFA groundwater concentrations when comparing farmland with other land uses.'

‘Forever chemical’ found in mineral water from several European countries   Contamination thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA (Trifluoroacetic acid), a type of PFAS (The Guardian, 12 December 20224)       Mineral water from several European nations has been found for the first time to be contaminated with TFA, a type of PFAS “forever chemical” that is a reproductive toxicant accumulating at alarming levels across the globe.     Aside from use in pesticides, TFA is a common refrigerant that was intended to be a safe replacement for older greenhouse gases like CFCs, and it is often used in clean energy production. But recent research has also established it as a potent greenhouse gas that can remain in the atmosphere for 1,000 years. About 60% of all PFAS manufactured from 2019 to 2022 were fluorinated gas that turns into TFA.   It is an especially difficult chemical due to its high mobility and longevity in the environment. Meanwhile, filtration technology effective at removing other PFAS from water cannot can’t address TFA on an industrial scale.       Still, industry is ramping up its use of TFA, or chemicals that turn into it once in the environment...    In pesticides, TFA is likely used as a stabilizer or to otherwise improve efficacy – around 40% of all active ingredients added to pesticides in the US are PFAS.       ,...the ( US) Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA) recently excluded TFA from classification as a PFAS, which subjects it to less scrutiny. Public health groups have said the EPA faces pressure because TFA is a significant moneymaker for chemical producers.    SNAP Comment:   Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Government of Canads, 2024-07-26)  does not mention pesticides as a source of PFAs. from google:  Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) is not explicitly listed as a regulated substance in Canada, it is considered a "breakdown product" of other regulated chemicals under the Montreal Protocol, meaning its presence in the environment is monitored by Health Canada, particularly as a potential contaminant from the breakdown of certain fluorinated chemicals used in pesticides and other products; however, specific regulations regarding TFA itself are not currently in place.

Health, workers' and environmental groups welcome cancellation of fluorinated pesticide (Prevent Cancer Now, December 2024)     Flufenacet—a herbicide that releases persistent, toxic TFA—is being phased out.  On October 30, Norwegian scientists published that TFA poses a global threat as it is omnipresent, and rapidly, irreversibly accumulating in water. Pesticides containing TFA are increasingly being developed and marketed to farmers in Canada. TFA and other persistent chemicals, are found in drinking water, foods, and the human body. These fluorine-containing chemicals have been linked to a range of adverse outcomes including cancers, liver damage, and low infant birth weight.     In 2021, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) re-evaluated flufenacet and proposed to cancel its registration due to unacceptable risks to human health. Despite mounting pressure from industry to back down, the final re-evaluation decision, issued last Friday, confirmed cancellation of all products containing flufenacet.    Meg Sears, Chair, Prevent Cancer Now stated: “Let’s applaud one hazardous pesticide being phased out over three years, but also recognize that this is a drop in the bucket."