Toxic Pfas residue identified on 37% of California produce, new analysis finds | Pfas

A first-of-its-kind analysis identified Pfas pesticide residues on 37% of conventional California produce, with peaches, strawberries and grapes almost always contaminated with the toxic “forever chemicals.”

The analysis coincided with the introduction of California legislation that would completely ban the use of Pfas as active ingredients in pesticides by 2035, and in the meantime require warning labels and other restrictions.

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted the analysis of residue testing records from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. About 90% of peaches, plums and nectarines were found to contain Pfas residues, while 80% of strawberries and grapes did. These levels are particularly alarming because children typically eat fruits like grapes and strawberries, and children are most at risk from the toxic effects of chemicals, said Bernadette Del Chiaro, senior vice president of EWG’s California operations.

“Most consumers don’t expect to find permanent Pfas chemicals on their strawberries – I think this information is shocking to most people,” Del Chiaro added.

Pfas are a class of at least 16,000 compounds typically used to make common products that resist water, stains and heat. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down or accumulate naturally and are linked to cancer, kidney disease, liver problems, immune disorders, birth defects, and other serious health problems.

Advocates began sounding the alarm about Pfas in pesticides in 2023. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Joe Biden attempted to discredit the author of a study that identified the chemicals in pesticides, while, under Donald Trump, the EPA increased the number of Pfas offered for use on crops.

At least 60% of active ingredients approved by the federal government for use in common pesticides in recent years meet the most widely accepted definition of Pfas, according to a 2023 analysis of EPA data. The chemicals are added as the active ingredient to agricultural pesticides to kill weeds or pests.

EWG analyzed records of 930 samples from 78 types of non-organic fruits and vegetables grown in California.

It found that 348 samples, or 37%, had Pfas residues. Around 40 types of fruits and vegetables contained residues, meaning that at least half of all produce varieties were treated with Pfas pesticides.

Chemicals are not just a food problem: they persist in the environment and pollute drinking water supplies. The city of Fresno, in an agricultural region, recently sued Pfas manufacturers for groundwater pollution, which exceeded federal limits by 600 percent. The contamination affects more than 120,000 households.

A previous EWG analysis of state records found that 2.5 million pounds of Pfas are spread on California croplands each year.

“Here is a chemical that we in society as a whole are trying to eliminate from our environment and our drinking water…and yet on the other hand there is a regulatory agency allowing its use on crops,” Del Chiaro said.

Health impacts are largely unclear because Pfas pesticides are a relatively new problem for researchers and there is little data other than that produced by industry.

“We know that Pfas can be dangerous, we know that pesticides can be dangerous, but we don’t really know enough about this new, understudied exposure pathway,” said Varun Subramaniam, report co-author and analyst at EWG.

He noted that the product may contain more than one type of Pfas pesticide. Ten products are approved for use on strawberries, but the regulatory system only considers the risks of a single pesticide, even though that’s not how people are typically exposed.

“We know that people are exposed to cocktails of pesticides and the literature shows that these combinations can often be more harmful, so this is a blind spot for the EPA at the moment,” Subramaniam said.

Proposed legislation in California would ban the use of Pfas as an active ingredient in pesticides by 2035. By 2030, the 23 Pfas pesticides already banned by the European Union, but still used in the United States, would also be banned in California. The bill would also place a moratorium on the approval of new Pfas pesticides and require labels to warn farmers, who advocates say are often unaware that their pesticides contain Pfas.

The pesticide industry will almost certainly launch a fierce campaign against the legislation. Maine and Minnesota have already passed similar bans, making the measure more likely to pass in California. Although the state often spearheads new environmental protections, Gavin Newsom, California’s governor and potential leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028, is sensitive to industry influence, particularly on Pfas legislation.

In December, the California Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that would have banned Pfas in cookware and other everyday products, but Newsom vetoed it after receiving pressure from the cookware industry and celebrity chefs. So far he has said nothing about pesticide legislation.

The bill’s author, California Rep. Nick Schultz, said in a statement that he doesn’t want his children “eating strawberries contaminated with chemicals that will stay in their bodies for decades.”

“We are providing a clear and responsible roadmap for our farmers to move away from these persistent chemicals while reestablishing California as a global leader in food safety,” Schultz added.