MARYLAND – Lawmakers in Annapolis are still wrestling with the debate over how to protect Marylanders from PFAS, or forever chemicals. This time, pesticides are in the spotlight.

House Bill 386

House Bill 386 would require the state Department of Agriculture to develop and maintain a list of certain registered pesticides that list PFAS chemicals as an active ingredient on their labels by Jan. 2026. A ban on 66 pesticides containing PFAS would start in June 2026, and a complete prohibition would take effect in June 2028. That group of pesticides appears in more than a thousand pesticides currently registered in Maryland.

“It (first) phases it out in schools, daycare centers, hospitals, residential lawn care, and mosquito spraying … We are not targeting agriculture. We are, in fact, phasing out some of the other uses. Agriculture happens to be one of the uses. We don’t want to take a tool out of the toolbox of agriculture,” said bill sponsor Delegate Sheila Ruth (D – MD District 44B).

Protecting Against PFAS in Pesticides

Legislation supporters say they are not specifically signaling out farmers; rather, acting in the best interest of all Marylanders.

Linda Birnbaum, a toxicologist, testified in support of the bill. She said PFAS can often degrade into other forms of PFAS, which are more toxic and persistent than their original form.

“(They cause) immune system damage, kidney cancer, and elevated cholesterol in humans. The data is very strong … They are readily absorbed through the skin, creating a dangerous occupational hazard for farmers and farm workers exposed to PFAS in pesticides used in the field, in the air, and when produce is handled,” said Birnbaum.

If the bill is signed into law, pesticide users would instead be required to turn to a pool of about 13,000 alternatives that do not contain PFAS.

Not So Fast, Say Opponents

However, landscaping professionals warn the alternatives are not guaranteed to be as effective as the pesticides lawmakers are seeking to ban in Maryland.

“Restricting or banning the use and registration of these products does not account for the void that will be created by their loss, which could force our members to use products that are lower in efficacy and result in increased costs for landscapers,” said Terence Stoval of the National Association of Landscape Professionals in his testimony.

Veterinarians are also sounding the alarm about what the ban could mean for pet health.

Amanda Hagan of the Animal Health Institute testified that the products in the ban would include some types of parasiticides, or chemicals used to kill fleas and other health issues.

“One of the reasons that we get to enjoy the close proximity of living with our pets is the availability of parasiticides, which obviously are pesticides, and use foreign agent chemistries as active ingredients … These products have been thoroughly tested and regulated by the FDA,” Hagan said.

Clashing Questions

In total, lawmakers heard more than two hours of testimony on the bill in the Feb. 12 House Health and Government Operations Committee. Several lawmakers questioned the intentions of the bill, and how fast its rules would be rolled out.

Delegate Tom Hutchinson (R – MD District 37B) warned that doing away with the chemicals could usher in a new public health crisis.

“We could have uncontrolled mice and cockroaches in our schools, widespread mice in our restaurants and kitchens, rats rampant throughout Baltimore, more outbreaks of avian flu in the poultry industry, increased incidents of Lyme Disease from tick bites, West Nile Virus encephalitis from mosquito bites, and so on,” said Del. Hutchinson.

However, Del. Ruth urged that the Environmental Protection Agency’s most current pesticide guidelines expired in 2024. She added Maryland has already successfully banned PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, and playground surfaces using definitions recognized by 22 other states.

“Right now, (these PFAS) are adding to the cumulative amount of PFAS that are going into our environment and bloodstream … It’s up to us to protect Maryland,” Del. Ruth said.

Cross-Filed Senate Bill

The bill has been cross-filed in the State Senate. On Tuesday, the Maryland Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hear testimony starting at 1 p.m.