FACT CHECK: EPA Debunks False Claims that Agency Recently Approved "Forever Chemical" Pesticides

November 26, 2025

Contact Information

EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention experts with decades of experience in pesticide evaluation, today issued a comprehensive fact-check addressing dangerous misinformation circulating about EPA's recent pesticide approvals. 

Yesterday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin corrected the record on the fake news from Democrats and their media allies. In an X post, Administrator Zeldin reaffirmed the EPA's unwavering commitment to rigorous, science-based standards and full compliance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The Administrator made clear that protecting American families remains the top priority—ensuring that every approved pesticide undergoes thorough safety evaluation and poses no health risks when used as directed. 

BOTTOM LINE: EPA-Approved Single Fluorinated Compounds Are NOT Forever Chemicals and Pose No Safety Concerns When Used According to Label Instructions 

FACT #1: It was Actually the Biden EPA That Officially Ruled Single Fluorinated Compounds Are NOT PFAS or “Forever Chemicals” 

In 2023, EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics officially defined PFAS, after conducting a comprehensive public rulemaking process, as chemicals containing two or more fluorinated carbons. This deliberate exclusion of single fluorinated carbons was based on extensive scientific evidence and public input demonstrating that molecules with only one fluorinated carbon lack the persistence and bioaccumulation properties that are commonly associated with forever chemicals. The recent false claims that EPA approved a "forever chemical" represents a fundamental misunderstanding of chemistry and toxicology.  

FACT #2: No Human Health Risks of Concern Identified When Used According to Label 

EPA's rigorous evaluation process found no human health risks of concern when these approved pesticides are used according to their approved labels. This assessment included: 

• Comprehensive toxicity studies across multiple species and life stages 

• Specific evaluation of children's safety and developmental effects 

• Assessment of reproductive and chronic health impacts 

• Environmental fate and exposure analysis 

FACT #3: Extensively Studied and Safer Than Alternatives 

These modern pesticides underwent the same gold-standard scientific evaluation required for all EPA pesticide registrations under FIFRA, including studies mandated by 40 CFR 158. The compounds represent significant safety improvements over older alternatives. 

We've moved away from truly problematic chemicals like organochlorines – DDT, dieldrin – that actually do persist and bioaccumulate. These newer, approved single fluorinated carbons are precisely the safer alternatives that modern agriculture has long been seeking. 

There has also been some confusion as to whether these compounds are the same as those that are commonly used to fluoridate drinking water. These compounds are NOT the same and would have no fluoridation uses; they just happen to contain fluorine atoms, like many other naturally occurring and synthetic compounds.   

FACT #4: Historical Precedent Across Multiple Administrations 

Dozens of pesticides containing single fluorinated carbons have been registered over the past several decades by both Republican and Democrat administrations, including: 

• The Biden Administration's 2023 registration of fluazaindolizine, a pesticide containing single fluorinated carbon  

• Dozens of similar approvals spanning multiple previous administrations 

• International approvals by the European Union, Canada, Australia, and other countries with stringent safety standards 

FACT #5: Consumer Choice  

For consumers who remain concerned despite the safety data, organic products remain available and popular. However, in the interest of full disclosure and total transparency, it must also be noted:  

• Organic farming also relies on pesticides for crop protection 

• Some organic-approved pesticides have higher toxicity profiles than modern synthetic alternatives 

• Organic does not mean pesticide-free 

FACT #6: Why Pesticides Matter for Food Security 

Pesticides serve critical functions in modern agriculture: 

• Protecting crops from devastating pests and diseases 

• Ensuring affordable, abundant food supply that provides healthy and nutritious meals to all Americans 

• Preventing crop losses that would increase food prices 

• Reducing the need for additional farmland through improved yields 

• Reducing soil erosion and loss of soil nutrients  

International Scientific Consensus Confirms Safety 

The safety of these single fluorinated carbons has been validated by regulatory agencies worldwide, including: 

• European Union (known for stringent environmental standards) 

• United Kingdom 

• Canada 

• Australia 

• Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, and South Korea 

Journalists have a responsibility to investigate the source and accuracy of claims before publication. Simply repeating activist talking points without examining their scientific basis or political motivations disserves the public and undermines trust in evidence-based regulation. Read more information about Pesticides Containing a Fluorinated Carbon.