PFAS meat mixing plan draws mixed reactions in Swiss consultation

A proposal to allow PFAS-contaminated meat to be mixed with other products has drawn mixed reactions in a consultation that closes on Friday, SRF reports. The Federal Council also wants to tighten PFAS limits for drinking water.

Since 2024, maximum limits have applied to certain PFAS in animal foods including meat, eggs and fish. Farms with PFAS-contaminated soil may be unable to sell their products and could suffer losses through no fault of their own.

Under the proposed measures, animal foods exceeding PFAS limits could be mixed with uncontaminated products during a temporary period. Only the final product would have to meet the applicable limits. For example, contaminated veal could be processed with uncontaminated meat to make sausages that comply with the requirements.

PFAS are chemicals found for years in products such as rain jackets, Teflon-coated pans and baking paper. They have accumulated in the environment and in the human body. Some PFAS can harm health, including by affecting liver function and the immune system. They may also affect fertility and cause cancer. Because they break down only with difficulty, they are also known as forever chemicals.

The Federal Council also wants stricter PFAS limits for drinking water. The limits would be aligned with those in the European Union, while an even stricter limit would apply to four specific PFAS. The Federal Council says this would reduce PFAS levels in animals’ drinking water and therefore lower the amount they absorb.

The Swiss Farmers’ Union broadly supports the measures but says they are insufficient. It is calling for more targeted research, practical support to help farms reduce contamination, compensation for economic losses and more time to comply with the rules.

Consumer protection groups oppose allowing contaminated meat to be mixed with other products. The Consumer Protection Association says the practice would endanger consumers’ health and violate the principle that food must meet legal requirements. It says mixing and other methods of meeting maximum limits had previously been prohibited.

The Swiss Association of Water, Gas and Heat Professionals broadly supports the changes to drinking water limits. However, it rejects the argument that stricter limits for some PFAS should be introduced to reduce contamination in animal food. The association says drinking water standards should primarily protect the public, rather than meet the specific needs of one economic sector.

The issue has also prompted opposition to how the limits are enforced. Switzerland’s Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office issued guidance this year requiring cantons to apply the PFAS limits consistently. The Council of States has approved a motion calling for the guidance to be suspended until support measures for affected farms are in place. The National Council must still approve the motion.