2024-06-122023/24:MJU17 · p.28MJUEnvironment & agriculture
PFAS and Endocrine-Disrupting Substances
Tighter regulation of PFAS and endocrine-disrupting substances
What's at stake: The decision concerns how quickly EU rules are tightened against PFAS and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals that spread in the environment and can affect human health, including via drinking water, soil and consumer products, and how actively Sweden should push that work forward.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should direct the government to actively push for tighter legislation protecting the environment and people from PFAS and other endocrine-disrupting substances, or whether the ongoing work under the EU's chemicals strategy and the review of the REACH regulation is already sufficient to phase out these hazardous substances.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions. The committee notes that the regulation of hazardous substances has been dealt with on several previous occasions and that there has long been broad agreement in parliament that the phase-out of hazardous substances must be intensified. The committee welcomes the government highlighting this in the budget bill and also points to the ongoing review of the REACH regulation and the Commission's "One substance, one assessment" legislative package, which aims to harmonise risk assessments and enable wider group-based regulation of chemicals. Against that background, the committee considers the motions currently give no reason for action.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 38 (S)
The reservation (S) calls for Sweden to actively work for legislation that protects the environment and people from the harmful effects of endocrine-disrupting substances, including PFAS. The reasoning is that the current agreement and the ongoing EU work are not considered to be moving fast enough given the health and environmental risks these substances pose.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 38 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 170–92Ja 158–104
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | differs | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | No 0/91/0/15 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:897 by Emma Nohrén et al. (MP) item 5, 2023/24:991 by Andrea Andersson Tay et al. (V) items 9, 10 and 12, 2023/24:1996 by Magnus Manhammar (S) item 1 and 2023/24:2629 by Anna-Caren Sätherberg et al. (S) item 34.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:897 av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 5, 2023/24:991 av Andrea Andersson Tay m.fl. (V) yrkandena 9, 10 och 12, 2023/24:1996 av Magnus Manhammar (S) yrkande 1 och 2023/24:2629 av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S) yrkande 34.
Riksdag decision: Parliament has dealt with a document from the government concerning the National Audit Office's report on the management of discarded solar panels and wind turbine blades. The National Audit Office's overall conclusion is that the government, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Agency have not ensured that discarded solar panels and wind turbine blades can be managed in a non-toxic and circular manner. The National Audit Office's recommendations to the government include, among other things, reviewing the need for policy instruments to promote such management. In its document, the government agrees with the National Audit Office's findings and at the same time points to measures that have been taken, including that the government has tasked the Energy Agency with investigating how solar panels and wind turbine blades can be managed to a greater extent in accordance with the so-called waste hierarchy. Parliament considers that the measures presented by the government partly correspond to what the National Audit Office calls for. At the same time, Parliament emphasizes that the work needs to be intensified to achieve sustainable management of these products. On this basis, the committee proposes that Parliament files the government's document, that is, concludes the matter. Parliament also rejected approximately 180 proposals concerning circular and non-toxic economy in motions from the general motion period of 2023, partly with reference to ongoing work. The motions deal, among other things, with sustainable design, consumption and production, reuse and recycling, waste, circular food issues, plastic issues and chemical issues.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants municipalities to be able to decide the textile collection system themselves and be tasked with informing the public about textile reuse. (S) — Reservation 38
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan wants to see ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work, and conscious and comprehensive work for good conditions for people and ecosystems.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to see ambitious environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work, and conscious and comprehensive work for good conditions for people and ecosystems. The counter-proposal's demand to actively push forward legislation against endocrine disruptors, since ongoing work is progressing too slowly, lies directly in line with that. The plan also wants Sweden to challenge EU rules that limit national scope for action, which speaks against waiting for the EU's review.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill se ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete, och ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete för goda villkor för människor och ekosystem. Motförslagets krav på att aktivt driva fram lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen, eftersom det pågående arbetet går för långsamt, ligger direkt i den linjen. Planen vill dessutom att Sverige utmanar EU-regler som begränsar nationellt handlingsutrymme, vilket talar emot att avvakta EU:s översyn.
- ambitious environmental goals with strict legislationdecisive»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work.”
- comprehensive work for health and ecosystems»Sverige behöver också ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete med att« (party programme ↗)“Sweden also needs conscious and comprehensive work to”
- national regulation before EU pace»Vi vill att Sverige utmanar EU:s överstatliga fördrag och lagar« (party programme ↗)“We want Sweden to challenge the EU's supranational treaties and laws”
- protect health and biological diversity»Ett ständigt överutnyttjande av naturens resurser leder till kraftig utarmning av den biologiska mångfalden och växthusgasutsläpp.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Constant over-exploitation of natural resources leads to severe depletion of biological diversity and greenhouse gas emissions.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme requires that consideration of environmental requirements be built into production processes from the start and that all environmental impact in the form of emissions be minimised, and that EU environmental policy be developed with stricter requirements.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that consideration of environmental requirements be built into production processes from the start and that all environmental impact in the form of emissions be minimised, and that EU environmental policy be developed with stricter requirements. The counter-proposal's requirement for active work for legislation against endocrine-disrupting chemicals is an application of these commitments. The plan does not specifically mention PFAS or endocrine-disrupting chemicals, so the position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att hänsynen till miljöns krav byggs in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början och att all miljöpåverkan i form av utsläpp minimeras, samt att EU:s miljöpolitik utvecklas med skärpta krav. Motförslagets krav på ett aktivt arbete för lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen är en tillämpning av dessa åtaganden. Planen nämner inte PFAS eller hormonstörande ämnen särskilt, varför ställningstagandet härleds.
- environmental requirements in productiondecisive»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“Consideration of environmental requirements must be built into production processes from the start.”
- minimise hazardous emissions»miljöpåverkan i form av utsläpp och avfallsprodukter ska minimeras« (party programme ↗)“environmental impact in the form of emissions and waste products shall be minimised”
- stricter EU environmental requirements»krav när det gäller miljöpåverkande utsläpp« (party programme ↗)“requirements regarding environmentally harmful emissions”
- consumer protection and safe products»ska vara utgångspunkten för en politik där säkra livsmedel, miljöhänsyn« (party programme ↗)“should be the starting point for a policy where safe food, environmental considerations”
The election manifesto wants to phase out toxic substances immediately, and the party programme explicitly singles out hormone-disrupting substances as emissions to be reduced and requires that the precautionary principle apply in assessment of chemicals and that review and control be strict.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to phase out toxic substances immediately, and the party programme explicitly singles out hormone-disrupting substances as emissions to be reduced and requires that the precautionary principle apply in assessment of chemicals and that review and control be strict. The counter-proposal's demand to actively drive legislation against hormone-disrupting substances is precisely this commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill fasa ut giftiga ämnen omgående, och partiprogrammet pekar uttryckligen ut hormonstörande ämnen som utsläpp som ska reduceras samt kräver att försiktighetsprincipen gäller vid bedömning av kemikalier och att prövningen och kontrollen är skarp. Motförslagets krav på att aktivt driva lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen är precis detta åtagande.
- immediate phase-out of toxinsdecisive»fasa ut giftiga ämnen omgående, speciellt från produkter för barn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“phase out toxic substances immediately, especially from products for children.”
- reduce hormone-disrupting substances»Utsläpp av miljöstörande ämnen såsom kväve, fosfor, läkemedelsrester, hormonstörande ämnen, tungmetaller och nanopartiklar ska reduceras« (party programme ↗)“Emissions of environmentally disturbing substances such as nitrogen, phosphorus, pharmaceutical residues, hormone-disrupting substances, heavy metals and nanoparticles shall be reduced”
- precautionary principle for chemicals»Försiktighetsprincipen måste gälla vid bedömning av kemikalier, eftersom det kan ta tid innan negativa effekter blir tydliga.« (party programme ↗)“The precautionary principle must apply in assessment of chemicals, since it can take time before negative effects become clear.”
- strict chemical control»Prövningen och kontrollen, såväl nationellt som inom EU:s kemikaliepolitik, måste vara skarp.« (party programme ↗)“Review and control, both nationally and within the EU's chemical policy, must be strict.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme makes a poison-free environment a fundamental right and particularly points out that chemicals with harmful or unknown effects are used daily.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes a poison-free environment a fundamental right and particularly points out that chemicals with harmful or unknown effects are used daily. The manifesto promises that children shall be able to swim without being exposed to poison. Actively driven legislation against endocrine disruptors follows directly from these commitments and from the principle that environmental damage shall be unprofitable.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör en giftfri miljö till en fundamental rätt och pekar särskilt ut att kemikalier med skadliga eller okända effekter används dagligen. Manifestet lovar att barn ska kunna bada utan att utsättas för gifter. En aktivt pådriven lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen följer direkt av dessa åtaganden och av principen att miljöförstöring ska vara olönsam.
- poison-free environment as rightdecisive»Tillgång till rent vatten, ren luft och giftfri miljö är en fundamental rätt för alla människor och en förutsättning för frihet i en vidare bemärkelse.« (party programme ↗)“Access to clean water, clean air and a poison-free environment is a fundamental right for all people and a precondition for freedom in a wider sense.”
- protect water from poison»Rädda Sveriges sjöar, vattendrag och hav. Våra barn ska kunna bada utan att utsättas för gifter, nedskräpning eller algblomning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Save Sweden's lakes, waterways and seas. Our children shall be able to swim without being exposed to poison, litter or algal blooms.”
- unresolved chemical problems»Dagligen används kemikalier och tekniker vars effekter på människan och naturen är skadliga eller okända.« (party programme ↗)“Daily chemicals and techniques are used whose effects on people and nature are harmful or unknown.”
- polluter pays»Det ska alltid vara lönsamt att vara miljövårdande och olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande.« (party programme ↗)“It shall always be profitable to be environmentally responsible and unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly requires that chemical legislation is tightened and that particular consideration is given to children's and young people's sensitivity and to the combined effect when several chemicals interact, with the precautionary principle as foundation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that chemical legislation is tightened and that particular consideration is given to children's and young people's sensitivity and to the combined effect when several chemicals interact, with the precautionary principle as foundation. It also wants use of the most dangerous chemicals to end. The counter-proposal's demand to actively drive legislation against endocrine-disrupting substances is precisely this commitment translated into action.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att kemikalielagstiftningen skärps och att särskild hänsyn tas till barns och ungas känslighet samt till den samlade effekten när flera kemikalier samverkar, med försiktighetsprincipen som grund. Den vill också att användningen av de farligaste kemikalierna får ett slut. Motförslagets krav på att aktivt driva lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen är just detta åtagande omsatt i handling.
- tightened chemical legislationdecisive»kemikalielagstiftningen behöver skärpas, och särskild hänsyn tas till barn och ungas känslighet« (party programme ↗)“chemical legislation needs to be tightened, and particular consideration given to children's and young people's sensitivity”
- the precautionary principle»Kemikalielagstiftningen ska utgå från försiktighetsprincipen.« (party programme ↗)“Chemical legislation shall be based on the precautionary principle.”
- end the most dangerous substances»globalt samarbete inom FN för att få bort användningen av de farligaste kemikalierna.« (party programme ↗)“global cooperation within the UN to end the use of the most dangerous chemicals.”
- prevent water pollution»Samtidigt behövs fortsatta insatser för att förhindra att skräp och föroreningar, som plast och läkemedel, sprids i våra vatten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time continued efforts are needed to prevent rubbish and pollution, such as plastic and pharmaceuticals, from spreading in our waters.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan points to legislation with prohibitions and limit values as a strategic instrument, requires that action be grounded in the precautionary principle and wants a strengthened environmental guarantee with burden of proof reversal.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan points to legislation with prohibitions and limit values as a strategic instrument, requires that action be grounded in the precautionary principle and wants a strengthened environmental guarantee with burden of proof reversal. Active work for legislation against endocrine-disrupting substances is precisely such an application. The plan sees the EU as often the right level for environmental issues. The requirement is supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut lagstiftning med förbud och gränsvärden som ett strategiskt instrument, kräver att agerandet grundas på försiktighetsprincipen och vill en stärkt miljögaranti med omvänd bevisföring. Ett aktivt arbete för lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen är just en sådan tillämpning. Planen ser samtidigt EU som ofta rätt nivå för miljöfrågorna. Kravet stöds.
- prohibitions and limit valuesdecisive»Lagstiftning med förbud och gränsvärden« (party programme ↗)“Legislation with prohibitions and limit values”
- the precautionary principle»agerandet grundas på försiktighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“action is grounded in the precautionary principle”
- burden of proof reversal in environmental matters»En stärkt miljögaranti med omvänd bevisföring« (party programme ↗)“A strengthened environmental guarantee with burden of proof reversal”
- EU the right level for environmental issues»EU i många fall den mest lämpliga nivån« (party programme ↗)“the EU in many cases the most appropriate level”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan commits to reducing emissions of dangerous substances and cleaning up in nature, including through advanced water purification and recovery of environmentally hazardous waste.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to reducing emissions of dangerous substances and cleaning up in nature, including through advanced water purification and recovery of environmentally hazardous waste. The counter-proposal requires that work on legislation against hormone-disrupting substances be actively pursued. This aligns with the plan's commitment to reduce the spread of dangerous substances, so the plan supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att minska utsläppen av farliga ämnen och att städa upp i naturen, bland annat genom avancerad vattenrening och bärgning av miljöfarligt avfall. Motförslaget kräver att arbetet för lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen drivs aktivt. Det ligger i linje med planens åtagande att minska spridningen av farliga ämnen, varför planen stöder kravet.
- reduce dangerous substancesdecisive»Vi ska slå vakt om allemansrätten och minska övergödning, försurning, utsläpp av farliga ämnen och nedskräpning, inte minst i Östersjön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall safeguard the public right of access and reduce eutrophication, acidification, emissions of dangerous substances and litter, not least in the Baltic Sea.”
- advanced water purification»Satsa på forskning om vattenrening samt utbyggnad av avancerad vattenrening« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in research on water purification and expansion of advanced water purification”
- remediate environmentally hazardous waste»Bärga miljöfarligt avfall som hittats i haven« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Recover environmentally hazardous waste found in the seas”
- science-based chemicals policyweak support»Vetenskap och fakta ska vara ledande i klimat- och miljöpolitiken.« (party programme ↗)“Science and facts should lead in climate and environmental policy.”
flags: citat_svagt
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's environmental policy is based on the stewardship ethos and makes the precautionary principle central when new environmental problems are to be prevented.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's environmental policy is based on the stewardship ethos and makes the precautionary principle central when new environmental problems are to be prevented. It also wants to give increased priority to work on hazardous substances and contaminated areas, with research as the foundation. Actively pushing legislation against endocrine-disrupting substances protects people and the environment in that spirit, especially when the requirements are driven together in the EU and not as Swedish-specific requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Planens miljöpolitik utgår från förvaltarskapstanken och gör försiktighetsprincipen central när nya miljöproblem ska förhindras. Den vill också ge ökad prioritet åt arbetet med gifter och förorenade områden, med forskningen som grund. Att aktivt driva lagstiftning mot hormonstörande ämnen skyddar människor och miljö i den andan, särskilt när kraven drivs gemensamt i EU och inte som svenska särkrav.
- the stewardship ethosdecisive»Sverigedemokratisk miljöpolitik utgår från förvaltarskapstanken och strävar efter att hitta de mest miljöeffektiva och kostnadseffektiva metoderna, som samtidigt inte skadar näringar och landsbygd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats' environmental policy is based on the stewardship ethos and aims to find the most environmentally effective and cost-effective methods, which at the same time do not harm industries and the countryside.”
- the precautionary principle»konservativa principen om ett varsamt framåtskridande. Försiktighetsprincipen är« (party programme ↗)“the conservative principle of cautious progress. The precautionary principle is”
- hazardous substances prioritized»Ökad prioritet i arbetet med att återställa förorenade områden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increased priority in the work to restore contaminated areas.”
- research-based environmental policy»Miljöpolitiken måste alltid stämmas av mot nya rön i forskningen och baseras på fakta framför känslor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Environmental policy must always be calibrated against new findings in research and be based on facts over feelings.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU17)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU17)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1067 — Importkontroll av skinn av Helén Pettersson och Åsa Karlsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:107 — Återvinning av solceller av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1096 — Ökad användning av avfall och restprodukter av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1133 — Pant på batterier av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1205 — Minskad plastanvändning och främjande av återvinningsinitiativ av Serkan Köse (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1253 — Ekonomiska garantier för avfallsplatser av Martina Johansson och Malin Björk (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:1263 — Matsvinn i livsmedelshandeln av Anders Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1375 — Konsumenternas valfrihet när det gäller säkra produkter av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1400 — Gemensamt ansvar för rena stränder av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1519 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1520 — Minskad användning av plast och förenklad återvinning av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1521 — Ett robust och modernt va-system av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1633 — Sveriges 13 sämsta lagar av Rickard Nordin och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:1759 — Pant på saftflaskor - en stor miljövinst av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1768 — Införande av pantsystem för färgpatroner av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1770 — Obligatoriskt mottagande av importburkar och flaskor av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1784 — Fritidsbåtar av Rickard Nordin (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1808 — Olagliga komposter av Rickard Nordin (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1873 — För havets och människans framtid av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1996 — Förbud mot PFAS i Sverige, EU och världen av Magnus Manhammar (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament