PFAS-coated clothes that are thrown away will often end up either incinerated or in landfill. Unless incinerated at very high temperatures (>1000oC), fluorinated polymers could release more harmful PFAS during burning. PFAS of environmental concern have also been found in landfill leachate. PFAS is found in treated waste water from industrial and domestic sources and has been found in both rivers and groundwater. Conventional drinking water processes will not remove PFAS.Small quantities of PFAS will be removed during wash and wear of products containing PFAS. This includes fluorinated polymers used on stain-resistant coatings, and non-polymers that remain on clothes after production (Lassen et al. 2015).Non-polymer PFAS can build up in blood protein of animals, and is not always removed quickly. This means that predators eating PFAS-contaminated food will have higher levels in their bloodstream, and concentrations can increase up the food chain. Studies suggest that build up of PFAS is similar to those of other Persistent Organic Pollutants such as DDT.PFAS are estimated to be settling in arctic regions at rates of tens to hundreds of kilograms per year (25-850kg per year), depending on the specific PFAS chemical in question. Certain PFAS are released as gases to the environment and are blown a long way by wind and air currents in the atmosphere,. These gas PFAS will over time degrade to more persistent chemicals like PFOS and PFOA. This may be one reason why PFAS of environmental concern have been found in remote regions such as the Arctic as well as near PFAS production sitesPFAS including PFOS and PFOA have been found in air samples around Europe. The chemicals are found in small quantities, but appear in almost all samples tested. PFAS enters the atmosphere both from factories and the air inside our homes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554424 Non-polymer PFAS are used in the production of fluorinated polymers. The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes generally releases these PFASs into the environment, both by air and water emissions. They are very hard to remove during water treatment. Workers in textiles factories are some of the population most exposed to these potentially harmful chemicals.

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PFAS pesticide active substance use in the UK in 2023 & 2024

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PFAS pesticide active substance use in the UK in 2023 & 2024

This report investigates the use of PFAS as an active pesticide substance in the UK in 2023-2024, with particular focus on the UK arable sector. It highlights that pesticides are an overlooked source of forever chemical pollution, and emphasises wider problems, such as growing UK/EU divergence, TFA, and the ultimate need for robust source control on all PFAS.

Key findings:

PFAS active substances made up ~14% of the 50 most commonly applied pesticides in 2023-24, largely unchanged from previous years, demonstrating significant on-going inputs.
From 2014 to 2024, the top 5 most used PFAS active substances in the arable sector were applied to over 41 million hectares (an area greater than the size of Paraguay).
PFAS active substances recently withdrawn in Denmark (due to environmental and health concerns, including association with TFA formation) have been applied to more than 34 million hectares of UK arable crops between 2014-2024 (an area greater than the size of Finland).

Published, June 2026

Language: English

Attached Files

PFAS pesticide active substance use in the UK in 2023 & 2024.pdf

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Pesticides PFAS