WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — Producers are seeing renewed public claims about “forever chemical” pesticides, prompting confusion over whether recently approved crop-protection compounds pose risks to human health or the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a detailed fact check this week stating that the claims are incorrect and that the approved pesticides meet all safety requirements under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
EPA experts emphasized that single-fluorinated carbon compounds are not classified as PFAS. The agency formally defined PFAS in 2023 as substances containing two or more fluorinated carbons, a distinction supported by toxicology and environmental persistence data. The new products lack the long-term bioaccumulation properties associated with PFAS.
Regulators also reported no human health risks of concern when pesticides are used according to label instructions. Assessments included toxicity studies, reproductive and developmental screens, and environmental-fate evaluations across multiple species.
EPA noted that these compounds are safer alternatives to older organochlorine chemistries and are already approved by international regulators in the EU, Canada, Australia, and other countries. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have registered dozens of similar single-fluorinated pesticides.
Looking ahead, EPA says continued precision chemistry will remain essential for protecting yields, preventing pest losses, and maintaining affordable food supplies.
Farm-Level Takeaway: EPA confirms new single-fluorinated pesticides are not PFAS and remain fully compliant with modern safety standards.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
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