The EPA has approved a new pesticide that contains PFAS, or forever chemicals, to be used on vegetables like lettuce, broccoli and potatoes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved active ingredients such as cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram for agricultural use on crops including lettuce, broccoli, and potatoes. Advocacy groups and environmental reports characterized these approved substances as PFAS or forever chemicals because their molecular structures include fluorinated carbon components.centerforfoodsafety.orgcenterforfoodsafety.orgFarmworker Farmer and Community Protection Groups Bring Epa to Court to Stop New...Cyclobutrifluram: A synthetic fungicide and nematicide developed for agricultural and turf uses In November 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved its use on crops such as romaine lettuce, as well as for seed...

However, the agency rejects that characterization based on a regulatory framework established by its Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Under that framework, official definitions restrict PFAS classification strictly to chemical structures containing two or more fully fluorinated carbons, explicitly excluding single fluorinated carbon compounds.epa.govepa.govPesticides Containing Single Fluorinated CarbonThey pointed to guidelines established during the Biden administration in 2023, where the agency’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics officially defined PFAS specifically as chemicals containing two or more fluorinated carbons...

The claim is misleading because it applies a broad external definition of forever chemicals to dispute official regulatory classifications. While the approved compounds contain fluorine, the agency maintains they are legally and toxicologically distinct from regulated PFAS categories.epa.govepa.govFACT CHECK: EPA Debunks False Claims that Agency Recently Approved "Forever...Based on extensive reporting, regulatory tracking, and official statements, the claim that the EPA has approved new pesticides containing PFAS ("forever chemicals") for use on vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, and potatoes is...