US flags China-linked illegal pesticide influx

Washington, April 28 US regulators have stepped up efforts to block illegal pesticide imports, including shipments linked to China, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency told lawmakers.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency has made import enforcement a priority as it confronts what he described as unauthorised chemicals entering the US market.

“We have pesticides that come in from out of the country… we have pesticides that get dumped here from China,” Zeldin told a congressional hearing.

He said visits to farms revealed products with “Chinese letters” on packaging, calling it “eye opening” to see how widespread foreign-linked inputs can be.

Zeldin drew a distinction between legally imported pesticides that go through US registration and products that are smuggled or sold outside regulatory controls.

“It’s another thing when you’re illegally dumping… pesticides into our country,” he said.

The EPA has blocked “over 1.6 million pounds of illegal pesticides imports” and stopped more than 500 shipments of non-compliant products since early 2025, Zeldin said.

He added that authorities have “charged 65 criminal defendants for illegal smuggling and transnational organised criminal conduct.”

The comments came during a hearing on the Trump administration’s proposed EPA budget, where lawmakers debated funding cuts and regulatory priorities.

While most of the discussion focused on domestic policy, the pesticide issue highlighted concerns about foreign supply chains and enforcement gaps.

Zeldin said illegal imports hurt US farmers and undermine safety standards. He said the agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance has increased inspections and coordination with other agencies.

“EPA is prepared to deliver even more results in fiscal year 27,” he said.

Lawmakers did not directly challenge the China-related remarks during the exchange. But broader concerns about chemical safety and oversight surfaced repeatedly, including questions about pesticide reviews and public health risks.

The United States regulates pesticides through a federal approval process that requires testing and safety review. Products that do not meet those standards are barred from sale. Enforcement, however, can be difficult when shipments move through complex international supply chains.

China is one of the world’s largest producers of pesticides. US officials have raised concerns in the past about counterfeit or non-compliant products entering domestic markets, often through indirect channels.

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