The US Environmental Protection Agency has quietly approved the use of three new PFAS pesticides to kill insects 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.

Concerns Over Toxicity

Nearly 40% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables grown in California already contain traces of PFAS pesticides, according to a March report. 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.

“We’re seeing the Trump administration do everything they can to continue our exposure to PFAS,” said Jared Hayes, a senior policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a nonprofit focused on protecting human health and the environment.

Industry Ties and Criticism

The new EPA approvals have been met with criticism from environmental groups, who argue that the agency is prioritizing industry interests over public health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has been accused of having ties to the chemical industry, and the agency’s revised definition of PFAS has been criticized as being too narrow.

“EPA-approved single fluorinated compounds are not forever chemicals, they are not PFAS, and do not pose any risks of concern when used as labeled,” the agency’s website now states. However, experts argue that this definition is not supported by scientific evidence and that PFAS pesticides can still pose a significant risk to human health and the environment.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.