Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in pesticides in Canada

Petition: 523

Issue(s): Agriculture; Human/environmental health; Pesticides; Toxic substances; Water

Petitioner(s): Canadian organizations

Petitioner location(s): Toronto, Ontario; Ottawa, Ontario; Dunrobin, Ontario

Date received: 30 October 2024

Status: Completed—Response(s) to petition received

Summary: The petition raises concerns about the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pesticides in Canada. According to the petition, PFAS, which are referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence in the environment, are associated with health risks, including cancer, kidney disease, and immune system, fertility, and neurodevelopment problems. Citing Health Canada’s State of PFAS Report, the petition highlights that PFAS are present in the blood of over 98% of people tested in Canada.

The petition states that PFAS exposure can result from pesticides applied to agricultural crops and biosolids used as fertilizer. The petition requests information from multiple federal organizations on the following:

• the prevalence of PFAS in Canadian pesticide products, with related sales and usage data
• the status of proposed cancellations of specific PFAS-based products, such as flufenacet
• the elimination of PFAS residues in produce and food products
• the way that the organizations are addressing PFAS contamination from pesticide packaging
• the way that the organizations are monitoring PFAS in soil, farmland, and waterways
• the biomonitoring of PFAS exposure in farming communities
• the assessments of cumulative effects of PFAS and biosolids on soils

Federal departments/organizations responsible for reply: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Canadian Food Inspection Agency; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Health Canada