Harmful pesticide will be banned

The Dutch College for the Approval of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb) has banned the use of the fungicide Pitcher, which contains the hormone-disrupting substance fludioxonil. This decision follows a court ruling stating that Pitcher should not have been approved due to its harmful effects on humans, animals, and nature. Fludioxonil was deemed hormone-disrupting by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2024, and such substances have been banned in the EU since 2009. The ban will take effect in May 2027, and concerns have been raised about the widespread use of fludioxonil in agriculture, with residues found on over 300 food products, posing risks particularly to pregnant women and young children.