Maryland, My Maryland

From the Baltimore FishBowl, Lawmakers propose bill to phase out PFAS ‘forever pesticides’ in Maryland

Maryland lawmakers are proposing legislation to phase out the sale and use of pesticides containing PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS, which stands for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of synthetic chemicals found in many household items. They are used to make products more resistant to stains, grease, and water, but those same properties make these chemicals difficult to remove once they have contaminated the environment.

Already, PFAS have been found in drinking water. The Maryland Department of the Environment has advised residents to limit or avoid consuming 15 species of fish due to PFAS contamination in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In addition to being part of some cookware, clothing, food packaging, and other common products, PFAS are also used in many pesticides. That’s why members of the Maryland General Assembly are seeking to pass a bill that would phase out “forever pesticides” containing PFAS.

“PFAS-pesticides can persist in our bodies and in the environment for a decade or longer and are linked to serious life-threatening health impacts. In fact, they are known to actually cause certain cancers and chronic conditions,” said lead House sponsor Del. Sheila Ruth (D-Baltimore County) in a statement. “With this bill, we have the opportunity to phase out an avoidable source of PFAS contamination that is poisoning our food supply and the health of our families.”

Sen. Benjamin Brooks (D-Baltimore County), who is sponsoring the companion bill in the Maryland Senate, noted that the legislation would not ban all pesticides — only ones that contain PFAS, which comprise a small minority of pesticide products.

“SB345/HB386 would phase out less than 8% of the 14,000 pesticides registered each year in Maryland, leaving plenty of alternative products that are not a PFAS ‘forever pesticide,'” Brooks said in a statement.

The legislation would require the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop and maintain a list of PFAS-containing pesticides by Jan. 1, 2026. People would also be prohibited from using these pesticides for certain purposes, starting June 1, 2026. The state’s agriculture department would not be allowed to register a PFAS pesticide for sale, starting June 1, 2027. And by June 1, 2028, people would be prohibited from using PFAS pesticides in Maryland.

I wasn't aware that some pesticides were fluorine compound, but it make sense, since many of the main synthetic pesticides, like DDT, are organo-chlorine compounds. If one halogen can make a pesticide, another, nastier halogen might well too. I was surprise by the statistic that "Of the 471 unique, conventional active ingredients that were currently registered in the United States, 107 (23%) contained at least one carbon–fluorine bond and 66 (14%) met the OECD definition of PFAS"