Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking another step in addressing concerns that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found in pesticide products by releasing a summary of the laboratory analysis of 10 pesticide products reported to contain PFAS residues. EPA did not find any PFAS in the tested pesticide products, differing from the results of a published study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. EPA is also releasing its newly developed and validated analytical methodology used in the testing process alongside the summary of its findings. EPA is confident in the results of this newly released method, which is specifically targeted to detect the presence of PFAS in pesticide products formulated with surfactants.
 
Since learning about potential PFAS contamination in a small number of mosquitocide products in September 2020, EPA has taken a number of steps to address this issue. This includes releasing data in March 2021 that preliminarily determined that PFAS in those specific products was most likely formed from a chemical reaction during the container fluorination process which then leached into the pesticide product, releasing another study in September 2022 testing the leaching potential of PFAS over a specific time into test solutions packaged in different brands of HDPE fluorinated containers, and notifying manufacturers (including importers), processors, distributors, users, and those that dispose of fluorinated HDPE containers and similar plastics that the presence of PFAS formed as a byproduct in these containers may be a violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act. Following that notification, the Department of Justice, on behalf of EPA, filed a complaint against Inhance, the company that manufactured the plastic mosquitocide containers in which PFAS was found, for its failure to comply with TSCA’s notice, review, and determination requirements prior to manufacture.
 
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