EWG scientist tells Vermont committee PFAS pesticides show up on grocery produce, urges limits

Varun Supermaniam, a science analyst at the Environmental Working Group, told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry committee that EWG’s analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture testing data detected 31 PFAS pesticide active ingredients on 30% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables sold in the United States. "PFAS pose serious health risks to the public," he said, citing EPA findings that link PFAS exposure to higher cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental harm and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Supermaniam said the most commonly detected PFAS pesticide in EWG’s review was fludioxinil. "Fludioxinil was found on 14% of all produce samples and on nearly 90% of peach and plum samples," he said. He described multiple contamination pathways into food: PFAS in food packaging, PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge used as fertilizer, contaminated irrigation water, and pesticides that contain PFAS or are stored in PFAS-lined containers.

The witness explained that PFAS in pesticides are not always the same molecules regulators most commonly associate with groundwater contamination (for example, PFOA and PFOS). He said many PFAS pesticide ingredients can partially break down into shorter-chain PFAS such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which is highly persistent and mobile in water and may spread through groundwater and surface waters over long periods.

Supermaniam described regulatory and definitional differences that affect how pesticides are classified. He said EWG’s list — developed in a 2024 paper with the Center for Biological Diversity — identified 66 PFAS active ingredients based on an OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) definition that is broader than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s structural definition. "The effect of this really is that multiple pesticides and chemicals that by their structure and by essentially their science should be considered PFAS are not currently being considered as such" under EPA rules, he said.

On policy, Supermaniam noted that Maine enacted a state ban on intentionally added PFAS in pesticides in 2022 (the law takes effect in 2030, per his testimony) and that Minnesota passed a ban in 2023. He also said some jurisdictions outside the U.S. (including the European Union) regulate pesticides based on chemical classes and have prohibited pesticides known to be endocrine-disrupting.

Committee members raised practical questions about consumer and agricultural responses. Supermaniam said EWG’s prior guidance shows that rinsing produce under tap water reduces many surface pesticide residues and that soaking with vinegar or baking soda can be more effective; however, he cautioned that targeted studies of how washing affects PFAS pesticide residues are lacking and that PFAS hydrophobicity may limit washing effectiveness. He also said organic produce cannot legally use PFAS pesticides, though trace contamination from drift or contaminated soil is possible.

Supermaniam emphasized that PFAS pesticides are a public-health concern because of their persistence and potential to cause chronic harm over time, and he urged exposure reduction while acknowledging that many pesticides are not PFAS and that alternatives exist for many uses. "We know from recent research that everyone is overexposed to PFAS," he said, pointing to a 2022 National Academies assessment that found 98% of sampled blood results indicated levels warranting exposure reduction.

The committee closed the exchange by asking Supermaniam to provide his written materials and the EWG paper; he said he would follow up. No formal action or vote on legislation took place during the testimony; the committee indicated it will take further testimony on the topic.