PFAS pesticides approved after EPA adopts new toxicity definition

By Sandee LaMotte | CNN | July 10, 2026

Read the full article by Sandee LaMotte (CNN)

"The US Environmental Protection Agency quietly approved the use of three new PFAS pesticides last week to kill weeds on the nation’s crops. An additional two “forever chemical” pesticides were approved in November 2025, for a total of five during the second Trump administration.

Nearly 40% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables grown in California already contain traces of PFAS pesticides, according to a March report. California is significant because the state supplies nearly half of the vegetables and more than three-quarters of the fruits and nuts eaten in the United States.

The EPA itself says perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are linked to a higher risk of cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, reproductive and developmental disruptions, and damage to the immune system. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because the carbon-fluoride bonds — one of the strongest in nature — remain in the environment for years, decades or possibly even centuries."

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• ImpactAgriculture
• Affected community
• Health
• AgenciesEPA