Lawsuit to ban the pesticide ProFume
Together with Deutschen Umwelthilfe (DUH) and Umweltinstitut München, we are suing for a ban on the extremely climate-damaging pesticide ProFume. The aim of the lawsuit is to ensure that the product, which contains the active ingredient sulphuryl fluoride, is no longer released into the atmosphere and can continue to fuel the climate. The gas is up to 7500 times more harmful to the climate than CO2.
Sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas that is used in Germany as a pesticide against pests, especially when shipping wood. The gas is around 7500 times more harmful to the climate than CO2 over a period of 20 years.
Although more climate-friendly alternatives such as thermal treatment exist, the use of the gas is increasing worldwide – and consumption is also rising sharply in Germany. According to the Munich Environmental Institute, the amount used has quadrupled from 50 tons in 2015 to over 200 tons in 2020. The increase is particularly striking in the Port of Hamburg, where consumption has risen from 17 to 230 tons per year. Every time it is used, this extremely persistent greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere – with consequences that will affect our climate for centuries to come.
The lawsuit was formally filed by DUH against the Federal Office of Consumer Protection (BVL – Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz) before the Braunschweig Administrative Court on March 20, 2025; Umweltinstitut München (Munich Environmental Institute) and Protect the Planet are providing technical and financial support.
Detailed information
- Umweltinstitut München e.V.: Sulfurylfluorid: Das unbekannte Klimagift (The unknown climate toxin)
- Umweltinstitut München e.V.: Wir klagen gegen das Klimagift Sulfurylfluorid (We are taking legal action against the climate toxin sulfuryl fluoride) (19.03.2025)
- Umweltbundesamt: Sulfuryl fluoride
- Deutschlandfunk: Sulfurylfluorid – Deutschlands unbekanntes Klimagas (Sulfuryl fluoride – Germany’s unknown climate gas) (28.03.2025)
- Frankfurter Rundschau: Klage gegen den Einsatz von gefährlichem Gas: “Brandbeschleuniger der Klimakrise” (Lawsuit against the use of hazardous gas: “Accelerator of the climate crisis”) (21.03.2025)
Press release:
- Joint press release dated March 20th ,2025: Tausendfach klimaschädlicher als CO2: Umweltorganisationen klagen gegen Sulfrylfluorid-haltiges Pestizid Profume (Thousands of times more harmful to the climate than CO2: environmental organizations file lawsuit against Profume, a pesticide containing sulfryl fluoride)
News and press releases on the lawsuit:
Tausendfach klimaschädlicher als CO₂: Umweltorganisationen klagen gegen Sulfurylfluorid-haltiges Pestizid ProFume
Braunschweig/München/Berlin, 20. März. Die Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), das Umweltinstitut München und Protect the Planet klagen auf ein Verbot des extrem
