Overview
- Federal USGS sampling found PFAS-linked pesticide compounds broadly present in waterways of California’s San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys near major growing regions.
- An Environmental Working Group analysis using state surface‑water and sediment data found PFAS in as many as half of surface water samples and roughly half of sediment samples across 10 counties including Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Stanislaus.
- A peer‑reviewed study co‑authored by Nathan Donley reports that about 14% of conventional pesticide active ingredients are PFAS and roughly 30% of ingredients approved in the last decade contain PFAS, while California has registered 53 PFAS pesticides.
- State and federal regulators have recently approved or proposed approvals for PFAS‑containing pesticides, including sulfoxaflor, while California Assembly Bill 1603 would require disclosure, block new approvals, and phase out PFAS pesticides over time if passed.
- Researchers and advocates warn that major monitoring gaps — notably the omission of high‑use counties like Kern and Fresno and testing of only a limited set of PFAS chemicals — leave key questions about exposure and risk unanswered.