The EPA recently approved two PFAS-containing pesticides for use on crops. The agency is currently reviewing a further four PFAS-containing pesticides for approval.
EPA has approved two new pesticides that qualify as PFAS “forever chemicals” for use on common food crops, with four more similar products under review. While a growing body of research links PFAS exposure to higher cancer risks, weakened immune systems, and other health concerns, the newly approved products rely on short-chain PFAS, which are less likely to build up in the human body. However, these chemicals can still persist in soil and water, meaning PFAS may continue to accumulate in the environment and keep communities exposed over time.
For Maryland, this development lands as lawmakers revisit how to manage PFAS in agriculture and wastewater. Last session, the General Assembly debated HB 909/SB 732, which would have limited the use of wastewater treatment byproducts as low-cost fertilizer when PFAS concentrations exceeded certain thresholds. Building on that work, MACo has been engaged with legislators, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and other stakeholders on a framework to reduce PFAS exposure on farmland. While EPA’s latest approvals are for a different type of PFAS than those covered under last year’s legislation, this latest development still raises new questions about which policy tools state and county leaders can still deploy, and how effective they can be, especially given near-term budget constraints. With limited state capacity to fund treatment upgrades, and water and wastewater systems largely reliant on user fees, any new mandates could move quickly to ratepayers and further fuel concerns about affordability.
Read PFAS: What Are They? Why Do They Matter? What’s Next?
Read Managing Forever Chemicals: The Road Ahead for PFAS Policy
Read PFAS Treatment Technologies: Practical Tools and Considerations for Counties
