Syngenta loses appeal against Swiss ban on chlorothalonil fungicides

The use of chlorothalonil remains prohibited in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court ruled in a judgment published on Thursday. The judges rejected Syngenta's appeal, which contested Switzerland's ban on fungicides containing this substance. In December 2019, the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) withdrew the authorisation of plant protection products based on chlorothalonil. This substance can be found in groundwater and drinking water in the form of metabolites that are harmful to health.