Open Letter to Belgian Supermarkets: Stop PFAS in Pesticides

Dear Colruyt, Delhaize, Albert Heijn, Carrefour, Lidl and Aldi,

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Not when that apple is covered with pesticides, stuck on with PFAS - the “forever chemicals” that never leave our bodies.

⚠️ Wake Up Call: Standards Are Being Raised

At the end of 2024, Minister Brouns temporarily increased the standard for triazoles (a type of pesticide) in three production centers: Diksmuide, Ieper and Harelbeke. The permitted value went from 0.1 microgram per liter to 1 microgram per liter – a relaxation by a factor of ten, for a period of two years.

What does this mean? Instead of addressing the problem, the standard is simply adjusted so that contaminated water suddenly seems “safe”. This is treating symptoms instead of tackling the source.

This must stop. That’s why this open letter.

The Shocking Numbers

Recent research shows that 85% of apples in Belgian supermarkets contain multiple pesticide residues (HLN, 2024).

According to the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV), thousands of samples are tested annually, with regular exceedances (FAVV Annual Report).

Why PFAS in Pesticides?

PFAS is added to:

Make pesticides water-repellent
Prevent rain from washing them off
Extend their effectiveness
Save costs

The problem: These substances accumulate in our bodies, soil, and groundwater.

PFAS: The Poison That Stays

PFAS is known as “forever chemicals” because they:

Don’t break down in nature or the body
Accumulate with every exposure
Are passed on to unborn children
Remain for years in our blood (half-life 2-8 years)

Health Risks

Scientific research links PFAS to:

🔴 Increased cancer risk
🔴 Reduced immunity
🔴 Hormone disruption
🔴 Liver damage
🔴 Reduced fertility
🔴 Developmental problems in children

Source: Sciensano - PFAS in Belgium

The Pesticide Cocktail in Belgium

Top 5 Most Sprayed Products:

Apples - 4-7 different pesticides
Strawberries - up to 10 residues
Pears - 3-6 substances
Grapes - 5-8 pesticides
Bell peppers - 4-7 chemicals

Belgian research: Test Aankoop conducted tests on 72 fruit samples in 2023 and found at least one pesticide in 97% (Test Aankoop, 2023).

The Cocktail Effect

The combination of different pesticides can be more harmful than the sum of their parts. This is rarely tested before products hit the market.

Our Demands to Supermarkets

1. Stop PFAS in Pesticides

Require suppliers to use PFAS-free pesticides
Remove products with PFAS residues from shelves
Be transparent about PFAS in the supply chain

2. More Organic

Minimum 50% organic range by 2027
Affordable organic alternatives for everyone
Maximum 30% price difference between organic and conventional

3. Transparency

Clear labeling of pesticide use
QR codes with full cultivation history
Public database per product

4. Independent Monitoring

Monthly third-party testing
Publication of all results
Immediate removal when standards are exceeded

What Can WE Do?

For Consumers

Choose Organic

Prioritize organic for:

Apples, pears and stone fruits
Strawberries and berries
Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale)
Bell peppers and tomatoes

Tip: Look for the EU Organic label or the Biogarantie label (Belgian organic certification).

Wash and Peel

Wash fruit thoroughly with fruit wash
Peel apples and pears where possible
Note: PFAS are also IN the peel

Consider a Water Filter

PFAS from pesticides wash off into groundwater and can end up in drinking water:

Activated carbon filters can partially remove PFAS
Reverse osmosis filters are more effective (90-95% PFAS removal)
Cost: €300-€1500 for household systems
Filters need regular replacement (€50-€150/year)

Note: No household filter removes 100% of all PFAS.

Belgian Context

PFAS Problem in Belgium

Belgium already struggles with PFAS pollution around the 3M factory in Zwijndrecht. According to the Flemish Institute for Healthcare, thousands of Flemish people have elevated PFAS levels in their blood (VRT NWS, 2021-2024).

Legislation

FAVV enforces EU standards for pesticide residues, but:

PFAS as an additive is not always registered
The cocktail effect is not tested
Standards are often exceeded without consequences

Increased Standards: Hiding the Problem?

At the end of 2024, Minister Brouns temporarily increased the standard for triazoles (a type of pesticide) in three production centers: Diksmuide, Ieper and Harelbeke. The permitted value went from 0.1 microgram per liter to 1 microgram per liter – a relaxation by a factor of ten, for a period of two years.

Source: Bouwen Dieper - West Flanders struggles with excessive pesticides

Our proposal to the Belgian government:

“Organic is too expensive” - but what are the real costs of pesticides with PFAS?

Societal Costs

1. Healthcare

Cancer treatments: €100,000 - €500,000 per patient
Fertility treatments: €5,000 - €20,000 per cycle
PFAS blood testing Zwijndrecht: €15 million
Lifelong medical follow-up victims: priceless

2. Groundwater and Soil Remediation

Groundwater remediation costs €50-€200 per m³
PFAS pollution around 3M Zwijndrecht: estimated remediation costs €500 million - €1 billion
Complete remediation is often technically impossible - PFAS remains for centuries
Contaminated groundwater requires permanent monitoring: annual costs €100,000+

3. Drinking Water Supply

Water companies must invest in additional purification technology:
- Installation of activated carbon filters: €1-5 million per water extraction
- Advanced oxidation systems: €5-15 million per installation
- Reverse osmosis (most effective): €10-30 million
Annual operational costs: €200,000 - €1 million per purification installation
Filter and membrane replacement: €50,000 - €500,000 per year
These costs are passed on to consumers through higher water bills

4. Monitoring and Analysis

PFAS tests are expensive: €200-€500 per water sample
Continuous monitoring required: €50,000 - €200,000 per year per water extraction
Flanders has 400+ drinking water extractions = €20-80 million per year for monitoring alone

Who Pays?

Not the polluter pays, but:

💰 Taxpayers (remediation, healthcare)
💰 Water consumers (higher water bills)
💰 Insured (higher health insurance premiums)
💰 Farmers (worthless land)
💰 Future generations (centuries of pollution)

The real costs are not charged to supermarkets or pesticide producers, but passed on to society.

Activated Carbon Filtration: The Emergency Solution

Because PFAS is already in our drinking water, water companies must invest in expensive purification:

How does activated carbon work?

PFAS molecules attach to porous carbon material
Effectiveness: 60-80% for short-chain PFAS, 80-95% for long-chain PFAS
Filters become saturated and must be regularly replaced
Saturated filters become hazardous waste that must be incinerated (€1000-3000 per ton)

Limitations:

❌ Cannot remove all PFAS variants
❌ Short-chain PFAS are harder to capture
❌ Filters must be frequently replaced (3-12 months)
❌ Carbon itself may contain microplastics
❌ Doesn’t solve the problem - only relocates it

Costs for Belgian Water Companies:

VIVAQUA (Brussels): €3-8 million investment in PFAS filtering
De Watergroep (Flanders): €50+ million for various locations
SWDE (Wallonia): €10-30 million estimated
Total Belgium: €100-200 million investments + €20-40 million/year operational

These costs appear on our water bill.

International Examples

Denmark

PFAS ban announced for 2030
25% of agricultural land is organic
Investing €500 million in PFAS remediation

Sweden

Strict PFAS testing for imported fruit
High tax on PFAS products
Water filtration: €200 million invested

United States

3M paid $10.3 billion compensation for PFAS pollution
DuPont paid $671 million for drinking water pollution
EPA established world’s strictest PFAS standards (2024)

Belgium can lead in Europe - and save billions by acting now.

Hope for the Future

Alternatives exist:

Organic farming is scalable and prevents PFAS use
Natural pest control (beneficial insects)
Regenerative agriculture improves soil quality and prevents groundwater pollution
Vertical farming reduces pesticide use by 95%

Every euro invested in organic farming saves €5-20 in remediation and healthcare costs.

Closing Words

To supermarkets: Use your market power for change. The real costs of cheap food are unaffordable.

To consumers: That extra euro for organic prevents thousands of euros in water and health costs.

To Belgian politics: The bill for PFAS remediation is already unpayable. Stop the source: ban PFAS in pesticides.

To water companies: Lobby for a PFAS ban - filtration is treating symptoms, not solving the problem.

To farmers: Your land loses value due to PFAS. The transition to organic protects your investment.

Join Us - Sign the Petition!

Scroll down to sign the petition and make your voice heard!

Together we’re building a future without PFAS and pesticides. Every signature counts.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” - but only without PFAS and pesticides.

And remember: every time you drink tap water, you’re paying for the remediation of PFAS pollution that could have been prevented.

With concern,

The Chronisch Gezond Team

Belgian Sources:

Last updated: January 29, 2026

Open Letter: Stop PFAS in Pesticides - Our Health Is at Stake

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