24 July 2024, Washington: Center for Food Safety today submitted a groundbreaking petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging immediate action to address the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pesticides and pesticide containers. Numerous studies have shown that the broad use of PFAS chemicals, and the resulting environmental contamination, has devastating impacts on public health, wildlife, and pollinators. Despite acknowledging PFAS as an urgent public health and environmental issue, EPA has upheld hundreds of registrations of pesticide ingredients that fall into the PFAS category. Furthermore, EPA has allowed the ongoing use of fluorinated pesticide storage containers, despite the agency itself finding that these containers leach PFAS chemicals into pesticide products.
PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” due to their ability to persist in the environment, are endocrine disruptors which are linked to developmental issues, cancers, and organ damage. Crops can uptake PFAS from soil, resulting in dietary exposure for both the public and wildlife, while PFAS ingredients in pesticides can also leach into groundwater, contributing to widespread PFAS drinking water contamination. In recent years, EPA has acknowledged this critical issue and committed to addressing PFAS contamination outside the context of pesticide regulation, including issuing the first-ever enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to two PFAS chemicals (PFOS and PFOA).
“While the Biden Administration has taken steps to address PFAS contamination in other areas, the EPA has allowed these forever chemicals to be used on our nation’s food supply, public playgrounds, school lawns, and backyard gardens unabated,” said Sylvia Wu, attorney for Center for Food Safety and counsel for the petitioners. “We call on the administration today to live up to its commitment to protect communities and the environment and swiftly end the use of PFAS in pesticides.”
“With EPA having permitted the proliferation of PFAS in pesticide products—contaminating land, air, water, and food with multigenerational threats to health and ecosystems—the petition establishes that it well past the time for the agency to comply with the law, and stop the chemicals’ entry into commerce,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. “We have safe alternative practices and products,” he said.
Today’s Petition calls on EPA to: (1) ban PFAS as pesticide ingredients; (2) adopt a broad definition of PFAS chemicals that reflect the current scientific understanding of the class of chemicals; (3) prohibit the use of PFAS-containing containers for pesticide storage; (4) mandate reporting of PFAS contamination from pesticide registrants; and (5) prevent future contamination by requiring pesticide manufacturers to submit data specific to PFAS before future registrations can be approved.
The petition represents the concerns of numerous groups focused on protecting the health of both people and pollinators essential to our food system from pesticide use and PFAS exposure. In addition to the Center for Food Safety, it is endorsed by: American Bird Conservancy, Beyond Pesticides, Massachusetts Pollinator Network, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Norwalk River Watershed Association, Pesticide Action Network North America, Northeast Organic Farming Association Interstate Council, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Rural Vermont, Toxic Free NC, and Tom Neltner.
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