Urgent Request to Include Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) as a Priority Substance under the Water Framework Directive
On May 30, 2024, the Via Pontica Foundation, in collaboration with a coalition of non-governmental organizations from the Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), sent a letter to the Deputy Permanent Representatives of the governments of the Member States to the European Union. In this letter, we call for urgent action regarding the contamination of European waters with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA).
The letter outlines alarming findings from our study conducted in ten EU countries, revealing significant TFA contamination in both surface and groundwater. TFA is a persistent and unregulated substance known as a “forever chemical,” posing a long-term risk to the environment and human health. European waters are exposed to considerable TFA levels, with 79% of the analyzed samples exceeding the EU Drinking Water Directive limit of 500 ng/l for total PFAS.
Particularly concerning is the fact that contamination extends beyond industrial hotspots to agricultural areas, indicating that PFAS pesticides are the primary source of this pollution. TFA contamination affects both surface and groundwater, raising serious questions about the future protection of water resources in Europe.
The letter also notes that German authorities have recently announced their intention to classify TFA as “toxic for reproduction” category 1B, based on studies reporting malformations in offspring. Additionally, TFA is classified as harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
Given these alarming data, we urge the inclusion of TFA as a priority substance for surface waters under the Water Framework Directive, with defined limit values and monitoring obligations. We also call for support of the European Parliament’s proposal to develop an Environmental Quality Standard for “PFAS total.”
Our letter is supported by several organizations, including Ecologistas en Acción (Spain), Earth Trek (Croatia), Générations Futures (France), Global 2000 – Friends of the Earth Austria (Austria), Mouvement écologique (Luxembourg), Nature & Progrès Belgique (Belgium), Pesticide Action Network Germany (Germany), Pesticide Action Network Netherlands (Netherlands), Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Sweden), and Via Pontica Foundation (Bulgaria).
We urge immediate action to protect our water resources and the health of European citizens.
You can read the report here.
You can read the full text of the letter here.