Denmark recently launched a major bombshell in the European agricultural environmental protection sector. Its Environmental Protection Agency (MST) announced that it will forcibly revoke the registration of 23 pesticide products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The direct trigger for this move is scientific confirmation that these products release trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a typical example of a so-called "forever chemical," when they degrade in the environment, posing an unacceptable threat to Denmark's groundwater safety. This decision has not only caused a stir in Denmark but is also likely to trigger a regulatory storm against these pesticides across the EU.

This decisive action is based on solid evidence from a key research project, "TriFluPest," conducted by Denmark and the Geological Survey of Greenland (GEUS). This study, for the first time, clearly establishes a complete chain of evidence linking pesticide application to groundwater contamination, confirming that six widely used PFAS active ingredients, including fluazinam and fluopyram, are converted into highly persistent and mobile TFAs during normal agricultural practices, ultimately seeping into groundwater. As short-chain PFAS, TFAs are not only extremely difficult to break down naturally, but their reproductive toxicity is also a major public health concern. Once contaminated, groundwater, a source of drinking water, has long-term and irreversible consequences.

Under the current EU Pesticide Regulation (Regulation 1107/2009), any pesticide product that poses a risk to groundwater should not be authorized, and the concentration of its toxic metabolites in groundwater must not exceed a strict limit of 0.1 μg/L. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency believes that the GEUS study's findings demonstrate that continuing to allow these products to remain on the market would directly contradict fundamental principles of EU law. Therefore, even though a unified EU ban has not yet been implemented, Denmark, as a member state, has a responsibility and obligation to take proactive, preventative measures. Currently, 23 products have been withdrawn from the market, and the fate of another 10 will be determined in the coming months.

The Danish ban is not groundless. In recent years, TFA contamination has become a pan-European environmental problem. From Scandinavia to the Central European Plain, TFAs have been routinely detected in surface water, groundwater, and even tap water in countries such as Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

A series of reports by the Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) have consistently warned of a disturbing increase in TFA concentrations in European waterways, wine, and even grain. Research by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has pointedly identified PFAS pesticides as the primary source of TFA contamination in rural areas. Salomé Roynel, Policy Specialist at PAN Europe, commented: "Denmark's action sets an example for all EU member states. The law gives countries the power and responsibility to remove products of concern. We call on other countries to follow suit quickly and phase out PFAS pesticides completely to protect our most precious groundwater resources."

The Danish decision is significant because it addresses a previous blind spot in the EU's unified risk assessment: the formation and migration risks of PFAS had long been neglected. Now, Denmark, using local scientific evidence, has provided a new model for decision-making across the EU.

Looking back at Denmark's history, this ban is not surprising. This Nordic country has a long-standing reputation for strict and forward-looking agricultural environmental management. Although Denmark has a highly developed livestock industry (over 70% of agricultural output is generated, making it a global pork exporter), its agricultural production model has always been closely tied to strict environmental protection principles. Over 60% of the country's arable land is used to grow feed grains, meaning that pesticide use is closely linked to the safety of the entire food supply chain.

Data shows that Denmark's pesticide use intensity is far lower than that of major agricultural countries globally and in Europe. By 2023, the average use per hectare was only 1.38 kg/hectare, significantly lower than in France (3.65 kg), Germany (3.41 kg), and the Netherlands (6.95 kg). This is driven by a pesticide control system that has been in place since 1986 and continues to evolve. From the initial action plan, to the introduction and subsequent increase of pesticide taxes, and finally to the 2013 transition to a complex tax system based on toxicity and environmental risks, the Danish government has successfully used economic leverage to guide farmers to reduce pesticide use by nearly half. Therefore, Denmark's proactive move to combat PFAS pesticides is fully consistent with its consistent environmental stance.