PFAS can end up in pesticides mainly through fluorinated plastic storage containers that leach the chemicals into the product, and potentially through certain ingredients, though the EPA has removed the known PFAS inert ingredients and its own testing did not confirm PFAS in the small set of finished products at the center of the debate. The clearest, best documented route is the container. When high-density polyethylene (HDPE) jugs are treated with fluorine gas to make them more durable, that process can create PFAS on the container walls, which then migrate into whatever liquid is stored inside. This page explains both routes, what the EPA has found and done, which products are affected, and practical steps for growers and households.
Key takeaways
– The EPA confirmed in 2021 and 2022 that fluorinated HDPE containers leach PFAS, including PFOA, into their contents.
– The EPA removed 12 PFAS from its approved inert-ingredient list in 2022, though it stated none were currently used in pesticide products.
– A 2022 study reported PFOS in some insecticides, but the EPA’s 2023 verification testing did not detect PFAS in those products, so scientific uncertainty remains.
What PFAS in pesticides actually means
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for resisting heat, water, and grease. Because they break down very slowly, they are often called forever chemicals. If you are new to the topic, our guide to what PFAS are covers the basics. In the pesticide context, the concern is not that PFAS are the pest-killing agent itself. It is that these persistent chemicals can travel into the product, onto crops, and into water and soil, where they linger.
In 2023, after a public rulemaking process, the EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics defined PFAS as chemicals containing two or more fully fluorinated carbon atoms. That definition matters, because how a chemical is classified affects whether it is counted, reported, and regulated as PFAS.
The two main routes PFAS enter pesticides
PFAS can reach a pesticide product by two distinct paths. The container route is the most firmly established by EPA testing. The ingredient route is more contested and, for the known inert ingredients, has largely been addressed by removal.
| Route | How it happens | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|---|
| Fluorinated container leaching | HDPE jugs treated with fluorine gas form PFAS on the inner walls, which migrate into the liquid stored inside | Well documented. EPA detected 8 PFAS, including PFOA, leaching from fluorinated containers in 2022 testing |
| Active or inert ingredients | PFAS present as an ingredient in the formulation itself, whether as an active pesticide or an inert additive | Mixed. EPA removed 12 PFAS inert ingredients in 2022; its 2023 testing did not confirm PFAS in the finished products flagged by a 2022 study |
The container route: fluorinated HDPE jugs
This is where the strongest evidence sits. In March 2021, the EPA released data showing PFAS contamination in a mosquito control pesticide. The agency traced the source not to the formula but to the fluorinated HDPE container storing it. The containers were manufactured by a company called Inhance. When such containers are fluorinated for durability, the EPA determined the process can create several types of PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
The EPA followed up with laboratory testing on three brands of fluorinated HDPE containers, exposing them to water and methanol over time. Out of 31 PFAS the agency screened for, it detected 8 migrating from the container walls into the liquids, and PFOA was among them. The detected substances included PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUdA. The EPA noted that many companies use fluorinated HDPE containers to store and distribute pesticides and other products, so the issue is not limited to a single brand of jug.
What the EPA has done about it
The EPA has taken several regulatory steps. In March 2022 it issued a Notice of Violation to Inhance for failing to notify the agency before manufacturing PFAS. In December 2023, the EPA issued orders under the Toxic Substances Control Act directing Inhance to stop producing PFAS during its fluorination process.
That action did not settle the matter cleanly. In March 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated those orders, ruling that the EPA had used the wrong section of the law. The court found that a decades-old fluorination process was not a significant new use and that the EPA would need to regulate it under a different, lengthier pathway that requires a cost-benefit analysis. The ruling did not clear the containers of leaching PFAS. It limited the specific legal tool the EPA had used, which means the regulatory path forward remains unsettled.
The ingredient route and the uncertainty around it
The ingredient side is genuinely more uncertain, and honesty about that matters. In December 2022, the EPA finalized the removal of 12 PFAS from its approved list of inert, or inactive, ingredients for non-food pesticide products. The agency stated that none of the 12 were currently used in any pesticide product, so this was a preventive step rather than a response to active contamination.
Separately, a study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in 2022 reported finding PFOS, another well-known PFAS, in 6 of 10 insecticide formulations tested. The EPA ran its own verification analysis and, in May 2023, reported that it did not detect PFAS in those same products. The two results conflict, and the EPA has publicly disputed the study’s findings. For readers, the practical takeaway is that the active-ingredient question is not fully resolved, and reputable bodies currently disagree. We describe what is confirmed and flag what is not.
Food residue and water implications
Because PFAS resist breakdown, contamination that reaches a field can persist. When a pesticide carrying PFAS is sprayed, residues can potentially remain on crops and move into soil and nearby water. This connects to broader concerns covered on our PFAS in drinking water page, since agricultural runoff is one pathway PFAS travel into groundwater and surface water. The full extent of food-residue exposure from pesticides specifically is still being studied, and the container leaching route may be the more significant contributor in practice given how widely fluorinated jugs are used.
What growers and consumers can do
For commercial growers and applicators, the most direct step is to ask suppliers whether pesticide products are stored in fluorinated HDPE containers and to seek non-fluorinated packaging where alternatives exist. Following label directions and using integrated pest management to reduce overall pesticide volume also lowers potential exposure at the source.
For households, direct exposure from agricultural pesticides is generally lower than from food and water, but reasonable steps still help. Washing produce, choosing a good water filter, and reducing other PFAS sources all add up. Our guides on how to avoid PFAS and how to reduce PFAS in your body cover these in more depth. The aim here is steady, evidence-based action rather than alarm.
FAQ
Are all pesticides contaminated with PFAS?
No. The confirmed problem is with pesticides stored in fluorinated HDPE containers, which can leach PFAS into the product. PFAS as an active ingredient is contested, and the EPA’s 2023 testing did not confirm PFAS in the finished products flagged by a 2022 study.
How do PFAS get into pesticides in the first place?
The best documented route is the container. Treating HDPE plastic jugs with fluorine gas creates PFAS on the walls, which then migrate into the liquid stored inside. A second, more debated route is PFAS present as an ingredient in the formula itself.
What did the EPA actually find?
In 2022 the EPA detected 8 PFAS, including PFOA, leaching from fluorinated HDPE containers out of 31 it screened for. It also removed 12 PFAS from its approved inert-ingredient list in 2022, though it said none were then in use.
Is the container problem fixed?
Not fully. The EPA ordered the manufacturer to stop producing PFAS during fluorination in December 2023, but a federal appeals court vacated those orders in March 2024 on legal grounds. The leaching finding stands, but the regulatory path remains unsettled.
Does washing produce remove PFAS from pesticides?
Washing can remove surface residues and is a sensible habit, but PFAS are persistent and washing does not fully eliminate them. Reducing overall PFAS exposure across food, water, and household products is a more reliable strategy than relying on washing alone.
