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California’s PFAS Problem: How “Forever Chemicals” Quietly Ended Up on Our Food & How We Fix It

  • Writer: Everfilt® Admin
    Everfilt® Admin
  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

California’s PFAS Problem: How “Forever Chemicals” Quietly Ended Up on Our Food & How We Fix It

If you’ve been paying attention to environmental news lately, you might’ve caught something pretty alarming: California farms have been using millions of pounds of PFAS-containing pesticides every single year. Yes, those PFAS. The “forever chemicals” we’re all trying to get out of our drinking water and away from our bodies.


Between 2018 and 2023, almost 15 million pounds of PFAS-laced pesticide products were sprayed across the state’s fields. We’re talking crops like pistachios, almonds, wine grapes, alfalfa, tomatoes, the stuff that ends up in your grocery cart weekly.


It’s shocking not just because of the sheer volume, but because PFAS are already known to contaminate water, stick around for decades, and potentially harm people’s health. So why are they being sprayed directly onto our food system? Let’s unpack what’s going on and what needs to change.


What Makes PFAS Such a Big Deal?


PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) were originally designed to resist heat, water, and pretty much anything nature throws at them. Great for nonstick pans. Terrible for the environment.


They don’t break down. They build up in water, soil, and even our bodies. And research links PFAS exposure to things like:


  • Weakened immune systems

  • Certain cancers

  • Hormonal disruption

  • High cholesterol

  • Liver & developmental issues


This isn't fringe science anymore; it’s widely acknowledged. So spraying PFAS onto farmland that feeds millions of people is… mind-boggling.


How PFAS End Up in Our Food & Water


Once these pesticides hit the soil, PFAS don’t stay put. They move. They leach. They drift. They find the nearest water source and settle in. Irrigation water? PFAS can get into it. Groundwater? PFAS can end up there, too. Produce? Yep, plants absorb PFAS through their roots.


Crops with high water content, like leafy greens or certain vegetables, tend to take up more of the chemicals. Meaning contamination doesn’t just stay in the dirt; it climbs into the food chain. California has spent millions trying to remove PFAS from drinking water systems, yet PFAS continue to be sprayed on cropland. It’s like trying to fix a leak while someone is actively turning the faucet back on.


Why PFAS Are Even in Pesticides


This part frustrates a lot of people: PFAS isn’t there by accident. They're added intentionally because they help pesticides spread smoothly, stick to crops, and resist breakdown from sunlight or rain. Basically, they make the pesticide more effective, but at a massive environmental and health cost.


And many PFAS ingredients don’t even show up on product labels because they’re classified as “inert.” (Spoiler: “inert” doesn’t mean harmless, it just means they’re not the primary ingredient.) The lack of transparency has allowed PFAS to quietly infiltrate agriculture for years.


This Hits Farmworkers & Rural Communities Hardest


As usual, environmental harm isn't evenly distributed. Farmworkers, often from low-income Latino communities, are the ones working closest to PFAS-containing sprays. Rural towns relying on local wells are more vulnerable when chemicals move into groundwater.


The people who feed the country shouldn’t be exposed to chemicals linked to long-term health risks. Yet they’re often the first ones affected.


So… What Needs to Change?


There are realistic, doable steps that California and the agriculture industry can take right now:


1. Ban PFAS in all pesticide formulations

No loopholes. No “inert ingredient” excuses. Just a full phaseout.


2. Require ingredient transparency

Consumers, scientists, and farmers deserve to know what’s in the products being used on food.


3. Support PFAS-free alternatives

Non-fluorinated surfactants already exist. Transitioning isn’t just possible, it’s overdue.


4. Invest in better monitoring

Regular testing of soil, water, and crops can catch contamination early and prevent long-term damage.


5. Protect the communities most affected

Stronger safety rules, better training, and more oversight for pesticide drift can make a huge difference.


6. Set an enforceable timeline for phaseout

Farmers need time and support, but the clock shouldn’t run forever.


We Can Do Better


PFAS contamination is often talked about as a legacy problem from old factories or military sites. But the truth is, PFAS are still entering the environment today, right now, through agriculture.


The technology to farm without PFAS exists. The research is clear. The risks are real. And the public clearly wants cleaner food and cleaner water. Fixing this isn’t about blaming farmers; it’s about updating a broken system and giving agriculture a sustainable path forward. California has led on environmental issues before. This is the next big one.



Sources


PFAS in California agriculture

Plant uptake studies

Environmental behavior & water contamination

PFAS health effects

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