HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced legislation this week to restrict pesticides containing PFAS chemicals, potentially limiting the sale and use of certain agricultural and pest-control products as the state expands efforts to prevent contamination of drinking water sources, soil and food supplies.
House Bill 2883, introduced by state Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Philadelphia, and supported by 26 fellow lawmakers, would prohibit the sale and use of pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances when safer alternatives are available. The proposal would establish another state-level restriction on chemicals that have drawn increasing scrutiny over their persistence in the environment and potential health effects.
The measure follows a PennEnvironment report identifying PFAS in 96% of 88 Pennsylvania waterways tested. State officials have also issued a “Do Not Eat” advisory for fish caught in the Wissahickon Creek basin because of contamination involving perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, a member of the PFAS chemical family.
The findings have intensified concerns about chemical contamination in waterways that ultimately connect to drinking water sources. PFAS are associated with certain cancers, immune system effects and reproductive health risks, although health impacts vary by chemical and exposure.
The legislation also comes amid disagreement over federal pesticide regulation. According to the Environmental Working Group, the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency has approved five pesticides containing chemicals that environmental scientists classify as PFAS, including three approved in July.
The EPA disputes that classification, creating a regulatory distinction between the agency’s interpretation and the broader definitions used by some environmental researchers.
Khan framed the proposed restrictions as a preventive measure intended to limit additional contamination rather than relying solely on remediation after chemicals enter the environment.
“We need to stop PFAS pollution at its source so our families and future generations have clean water that’s safe to drink and fish in,” Khan stated.
The proposal follows another Pennsylvania action targeting PFAS exposure. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed legislation last week prohibiting PFAS-containing firefighting foam and requiring manufacturers to disclose the presence of the chemicals in firefighting protective equipment.
Lawmakers are also considering restrictions on PFAS in consumer products. House Bill 2145, introduced by state Rep. Greg Scott, D-Montgomery, with Khan as a co-prime sponsor, passed the House with bipartisan support and awaits Senate consideration.
That measure would prohibit PFAS in certain products, including cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products and items intended for infants and children.
Together, the proposals would extend Pennsylvania’s chemical restrictions across multiple sources of potential exposure, from firefighting materials and household products to pesticides used in outdoor environments.
Environmental organizations supporting the pesticide legislation argue that state intervention is necessary as federal regulators continue permitting products containing chemicals that some scientists classify as PFAS.
“The US Environmental Protection Agency’s actions this summer to approve the use of new PFAS pesticides makes this an area that requires states’ attention in order to protect our food chain supply, soil, and water from contamination by these toxic chemicals,” stated Steve Hvozdovich, Pennsylvania campaigns director for Clean Water Action.
PennEnvironment Executive Director David Masur also endorsed the proposal, arguing that preventing PFAS from entering the environment is more effective than addressing contamination after it occurs.
The bill’s 26 legislative supporters include Scott and Democratic Reps. Emily Kinkead, Bob Merski, Mary Isaacson, Pat Harkins, Brian Munroe, Mandy Steele and Joe Hohenstein.
House Bill 2883 would make the availability of safer alternatives a condition for restricting PFAS-containing pesticides, distinguishing the proposal from an unconditional prohibition on every product containing the chemicals.
The legislation now enters the General Assembly’s consideration process as Pennsylvania weighs additional restrictions on persistent chemicals across agricultural, commercial and consumer applications.
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