New study finds alarming rise in persistent ‘forever chemicals’ in pesticides

The study, Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment, is the first-ever comprehensive review of the many ways PFAS are introduced into U.S. pesticide products. Pesticides containing PFAS are used throughout the country on staple foods such as corn, wheat, kale, spinach, apples and strawberries. They are widely used in people’s homes in flea treatments for pets and insect-killing sprays.

The study’s major findings include:

• Troubling trend: 14% of all U.S. pesticide active ingredients are PFAS, including nearly one-third of active ingredients approved in the past 10 years.
• The worst of the worst: PFOA and PFOS, thought to be among the most toxic PFAS chemicals, have been found in some pesticide products, likely from the leaching of fluorinated containers and other unknown sources.
• Persistent water pollutants: PFAS ingredients in pesticide products have been found in streams and rivers throughout the country.
• Complex mixtures: Pesticides can accumulate PFAS from multiple sources, leading to mixtures of different PFAS chemicals in containers.
• Oversight deficiencies: The current U.S. pesticide regulatory framework is not equipped to adequately identify and assess the risks from PFAS in pesticides.

PFAS are intentionally being added to pesticides in part to increase the stability of pesticide ingredients and improve pesticides’ ability to kill living organisms.

Source: Eurek Alert!