The Dirty Dozen 2026 Puts a Spotlight on PFAS Pesticides
March 24, 2026 | Source: Organic Authority | by Emily Monaco
On March 24, as it has nearly every year since 2004, the Environmental Working Group released its annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This guide analyzes USDA data on pesticide residues on non-organic produce samples to assemble a list of the most- and least-contaminated conventional fruits and vegetables, which EWG brands as its Dirty Dozen™ and Clean Fifteen™.
This year’s Dirty Dozen is dominated by leafy green vegetables, which take the top two spots on the list with regards to pesticide contamination. Among the pesticides detected on these fruits and vegetables include several PFAS pesticides, or pesticides that feature harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are characterized by a particular pervasiveness in the environment.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
For EWG Science Analyst Varun Subramanian, continued widespread contamination stems directly from insufficient regulation on the part of the EPA, despite research continuously pointing towards the dangers of widespread pesticide use.