EPA Updates Aquatic Life Benchmarks for Registered Conventional and Antimicrobial Pesticides

Summary:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an updated set of Aquatic Life Benchmarks for pesticides. The current table now covers 782 chemicals (parent compounds and degradates). These benchmarks estimate concentrations below which pesticides are not expected to pose a risk of concern to freshwater organisms.

Key Updates in this Release

• New entries: Benchmarks added for four newly registered pesticides and two degradates.
• Revised value: One previously registered active ingredient received an updated benchmark.
• Supersedes: This update replaces the prior version published on August 22, 2024.

What Are Aquatic Life Benchmarks?

They are science-based concentrations derived from toxicity data used in EPA ecological risk assessments. Regulators and researchers compare measured pesticide levels in water to these benchmarks to interpret monitoring data and identify locations that may need further investigation.

What’s New — Chemical-Level Details

• New registrations (parent + degradates where applicable): Veratrine; IPBC (Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate); Metamitron (with degradate Desamino-Metamitron); and Formaldehyde (with degradate Paraformaldehyde).
• Updated benchmark: Pyrimethanil (under registration review) now has a revised benchmark value.

Why This Matters

State, tribal, and local authorities use these benchmarks to interpret water-quality monitoring results and prioritize sites for follow-up. International regulatory bodies and researchers also reference the table to inform ecological assessments.

Frequency of Updates

EPA intends to continue annual updates so the benchmarks reflect the latest science and regulatory decisions.

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