Full Breakdown
EPA Approves Additional PFAS-Linked Pesticides Amid Environmental-Health Concerns
7/2/2026, 6:24:36 AM
EPA Approves Additional PFAS-Linked Pesticides
On Tuesday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized approvals for two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) herbicides—diflufenican and epyrifenacil—for use on corn and soybeans. The agency also expanded the existing allowance for bifenthrin, green-lighted the first food use of the non-PFAS pesticide chlormequat, and approved the systemic fungicide fluoxapiprolin and the herbicide trifludimoxazin for a range of crops, including wheat, oats, citrus, almonds and peanuts.
Background & Context
The approvals occur under President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a “Make America Healthy Again” pledge. They follow earlier EPA approvals of PFAS pesticides cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram, a MAHA report echoing industry positions, an executive order mandating glyphosate production, and a recent Supreme Court ruling limiting lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers.
Key Figures & Groups
- Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator, signed the approvals.
- Douglas Troutman, EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention assistant administrator, oversaw the website revisions.
- Kyle Kunkler, deputy assistant administrator for pesticides and former American Soybean Association lobbyist.
- Nathan Donley, environmental health science director, Center for Biological Diversity (CBD).
- Bill Freese, science director, Center for Food Safety (CFS).
- Sylvia Wu, co-executive director, CFS.
- Scott Metzger, president, American Soybean Association (ASA).
- BASF, manufacturer of trifludimoxazin.
Data & Statistics
- Approved PFAS herbicides: diflufenican, epyrifenacil, trifludimoxazin.
- Cancer-related findings: fluoxapiprolin caused uterine and thymus tumors in female rats; epyrifenacil induced liver tumors in male mice; trifludimoxazin shows “suggestive evidence” of carcinogenicity.
- Endocrine disruption: chlormequat detected in the urine of 90 % of Americans, primarily from imported foods.
- Environmental impact: EPA assessment links trifludimoxazin to severe harm for Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, Atlantic sturgeon and small-tooth sawfish.
- Residue limits: 5 ppm for chlormequat on wheat and 40 ppm on oats, exceeding many international standards.
Official Statements & Responses
EPA spokespersons state that the newly approved chemicals contain only a single fluorinated carbon atom and therefore fall outside the agency’s PFAS definition. The agency asserts that the approved uses “do not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment” and that imposed limits are sufficient to protect consumers. EPA also emphasizes the role of these chemicals in controlling herbicide-resistant weeds and supporting no-till, regenerative farming practices.
Criticism & Opposition
CBD and CFS argue that the EPA dismissed independent studies showing carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting effects, repeating a pattern seen in the agency’s glyphosate assessment. Critics link the approvals to the administration’s broader support for pesticide manufacturers, noting the Supreme Court decision that curtailed public litigation against such companies.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
A key dispute centers on the definition of PFAS: the EPA’s narrow, single-fluorinated-carbon criterion contrasts with the broader OECD definition endorsed by most U.S. states and over 150 PFAS researchers. Human exposure data for the newly approved compounds remain limited, and independent assessments of their environmental persistence are pending.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's a national outrage that Trump's EPA is expanding use of dangerous, cancer-linked PFAS pesticides just days after the Supreme Court limited the American people's right to sue pesticide companies,” — Nathan Donley, Center for Biological Diversity
- “This is the PFAS presidency brought to you by Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin,” — Nathan Donley, Center for Biological Diversity
- “The EPA's pesticide division is seemingly no longer able to recognize evidence that a pesticide causes cancer, even when it's the pesticide company's own studies that show it,” — Sylvia Wu, Center for Food Safety
- “Bill Freese, science director at Center for Food Safety (CFS), similarly said Wednesday that "with yesterday's pesticide approvals, the Trump administration's EPA is once again showing its disdain for Americans' health and the natural world.” — Bill Freese, Center for Food Safety
- “we appreciate EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the agency” — Scott Metzger, American Soybean Association
What’s Next
Environmental groups have filed lawsuits challenging the trifludimoxazin approval and urging stricter residue monitoring. The EPA is expected to review its PFAS definition in response to international pressure, while state regulators may impose tighter limits on chlormequat and fluoxapiprolin residues pending further toxicological data.
