During a recent conference in the European Parliament a variety of speakers displayed the ongoing health and environmental threats posed by pesticide use. It called for urgent legislative action, better enforcement of existing regulations, measures to tackle the pollution and increased citizen involvement to protect both human health and the environment from the impacts of pesticides.
The conference "Protecting Farm Workers and Citizens in Rural Areas Against Pesticides" was organised by Pesticide Action Network Europe, together with the Members of the European Parliament, MEP Christophe Clergeau and MEP Marie Toussaint. It addressed several critical findings concerning the use and impact of pesticides on both biodiversity and human health, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations like children, farm workers, and rural communities.
The conference was opened by Members of the European Parliament Ms Marie Toussaint and Mr Christophe Clergeau. They welcomed the audience both in the room and online and stressed the importance of the topic. In the new legislation they will work with colleague MEPs to better protect health and environment against the negative influence of pesticides.
Here's a summary of the key insights presented:
Case studies and projects
- The Sprint project: Dr. Paul Scheepers from the Wageningen University & Research presented findings from the EU-funded SPRINT project, which focuses on real-life pesticide exposure. The project, which gathers data from farmers, rural citizens, and consumers in 10 countries, demonstrated that farmers using conventional farming systems still experience significant pesticide exposure, and organic farmers showed lower levels of pesticide residues in their bodies. The study also emphasised the importance of biomonitoring to assess pesticide exposure, showing that urine, blood, and fecal samples can provide critical insights into exposure levels.
- Toxicity and health implications: The overarching theme of the conference highlighted the toxicity of pesticides and the implications for citizens, nature and biodiversity. Chronic exposure, especially for farm workers, bystanders, and rural citizens, leads to significant health risks. These risks include increased rates of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s), and birth defects such as leukaemia and brain cancers in children. Vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women are particularly at risk, with pesticide exposure linked to long-term developmental and reproductive health issues.
- Scientific evidence: Presenters emphasised the growing body of evidence that chronic exposure to pesticides has severe health implications. A study presented by Dr. Mariana F. Fernández from the University of Granada shows the rise in pesticide exposure and occurrence of diseases such as breast cancer in women in even earlier age, between 40 and 50, which was never seen before. And neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s, have been recognized as an occupational disease in some European countries.
Environmental impact and policy gaps
- Biodiversity and ecological damage: Pesticides not only pose a threat to human health but also have devastating effects on biodiversity. Rural ecosystems, particularly those near agricultural areas, are experiencing significant losses of species, particularly insect populations. Streams in agricultural areas have shown a notable reduction in biodiversity due to pesticide contamination, underscoring the urgent need for stronger environmental protection measures.
- Legislative challenges and citizen mobilisation: The conference recognised the importance of legislative action to curb pesticide use but also highlighted the slow progress in implementing stricter regulations. For example, although certain pesticides are banned within the EU, they are still found in imported products, thus continuing to pose health risks to European citizens. In addition, emergency authorisations for banned substances keep very toxic substances still on our fields, close to residential areas. The need for stronger citizen mobilisation was emphasised, with the need for a greater public pressure on policymakers to enforce stricter pesticide limits and improve environmental protection laws.
- Pesticide regulation: While the European Union's legislation has been moving in a direction that should improve protection of citizens and nature from exposure and impacts of pesticide use, there are concerns that regulatory efforts are insufficient, in its provisions, as well as in the implementation. François Veillerette from the French organisation Générations Futures pointed out that many existing risk assessments for pesticides are outdated, and the exposure models used often underestimate the risks. For example, exposure routes such as dust inhalation and the consumption of home-grown produce are not adequately considered in risk assessments. Furthermore, there is a call to make Integrated Pest Management (IPM) mandatory for all EU farmers as part of the Common Agricultural Policy, as IPM has the potential to significantly reduce pesticide use across Europe.
- PFAS pollution and accumulation of TFA: One of the most alarming topics covered during the conference by Dr. Helmut Burtcher-Schaden from Global 2000, Sara Johansson from EEB and Mathieu Ben Braham from Générations Futures was the accumulation of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a small PFAS and breakdown product of PFAS pesticides, in water systems across Europe. TFA is a highly persistent chemical, a "forever chemical," that cannot be broken down by natural processes. The widespread use of PFAS, has led to the release of TFA into the environment, where it accumulates in groundwater and drinking water supplies.The German Umwelt Bundes Amt calculated the in rural areas with intensive agriculture 75% of the TFA in the water came from PFAS pesticides like Flufenacet.
- Data presented at the conference revealed that TFA contamination was detected in 94% of tap water samples across 11 European countries, with levels far exceeding those of other man-made chemicals. TFA’s persistence in the environment means that even if the use of PFAS were banned immediately, its accumulation in water systems would continue to pose risks for years to come. Therefore it is very urgent to ban PFAS pesticides now.
- Flawed legislation and regulatory loopholes: The conference identified several shortcomings in EU legislation regarding PFAS and TFA pollution. Although there are regulatory thresholds for pesticide residues in groundwater and drinking water, they do not adequately cover persistent chemicals like TFA, which evade current filtration and purification technologies. A major legislative flaw highlighted was the insufficient regulation of PFAS and their derivatives, such as TFA, under existing pesticide laws. Another one is the lack of comprehensive risk assessments for non-traditional exposure routes, like dust and water contamination.
Pesticide exposure and health risks
- Children are the most vulnerable: Another key discussion centred on the rights of children in rural areas, where pesticide exposure remains a major concern. Children living near agricultural fields are more susceptible to exposure and its effects. The conference pointed out that current EU legislation, such as the Sustainable Use Directive (SUD), calls for greater protection of vulnerable groups like children, but enforcement remains lacking. Suzanne Astic from the CRIN organisation urged the EU legislators to prioritise children’s health in pesticide regulation, emphasising that their long-term development is at stake.
- Inadequate and insufficient protection of farmers: Enrico Somaglia, representing the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), contributed a critical intervention at the conference, focusing on the exposure of agricultural workers to pesticides. His intervention highlighted the significant challenges workers face due to inadequate protective measures and the broader structural issues in the agricultural sector. Somaglia pointed out that studies have indicated that protective equipment may inadvertently increase exposure if not used correctly.
- Dr. Manuela Tiramani, a representative from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), focused her intervention on the neurotoxicological risks associated with pesticide exposure, particularly emphasising the emerging body of evidence linking pesticides to Parkinson’s disease. Tiramani concluded by expressing optimism that within the next 10 years, more concrete results would emerge, supporting the scientific understanding of neurotoxic risks and guiding policy improvements for public health protection.
Calls to action
- Strengthening regulation and enforcement: The conference concluded with calls for stronger regulatory frameworks. Specifically, participants called for the banning of pesticides that have been shown to harm human health. They also called for a halt to the export of pesticides banned in Europe that are present in imported goods. Furthermore, they urged for improved risk assessments that fully account for all exposure routes, stricter monitoring of pesticide residues, and better support for the transition to organic farming and IPM practices.
- Citizen engagement: Lastly, participants highlighted the importance of citizen engagement in shaping policy. Examples were given of how citizen activism can influence legislation, such as mobilising public opinion to pressure policymakers into rejecting proposals to increase pesticide residue limits in imported products.
In summary, the conference displayed the ongoing health and environmental threats posed by pesticide use. It called for urgent legislative action, better enforcement of existing regulations, measures to tackle the pollution and increased citizen involvement to protect both human health and the environment from the impacts of pesticides.
