EPA Updates Aquatic Life Benchmarks for Registered Conventional and Antimicrobial Pesticides
Released August 22, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the U.S. Geological Survey, has released an updated version of the Aquatic Life Benchmarks. These benchmarks are estimates of the concentrations below which pesticides (including conventional and antimicrobial pesticides) are not expected to present a risk of concern for freshwater organisms.
The updated Aquatic Life Benchmarks represent 776 chemicals (parent compounds and degradates) including newly registered pesticides or new values for previously registered pesticides and selected degradates. The updates include:
- Addition of estuarine/marine benchmark values;
- Addition of benchmark values based on the highest dose of a pesticide where no adverse effects are observed, known as the No Observed Adverse Effect Concentrations (NOAECs), for both aquatic vascular and non-vascular plants;
- Benchmarks for three newly registered pesticides and their degradates (new registrations); and
- Revised benchmarks for nine existing active ingredients and seven existing degradates.
EPA based these benchmarks on toxicity values from scientific studies that the Agency has reviewed and used in publicly accessible ecological risk assessments in support of regulatory decisions for pesticides. For each of the pesticides listed in the Aquatic Life Benchmarks table, the table provides a link to the source documents for the benchmarks.
State, tribal, and local governments use these benchmarks in their interpretation of water quality monitoring data. Comparing a measured concentration of a pesticide in water to its Aquatic Life Benchmarks can help in interpreting monitoring data and in identifying and prioritizing monitoring sites that may require further investigation. For example, the benchmarks provide federal, state, and local agencies and other interested parties information with which to interpret water monitoring data on pesticides. International regulatory authorities and researchers also use these data in their work.
This update supersedes the previous version published August 31, 2023. EPA intends to continue to update these benchmarks yearly.
Read the summary of updated benchmarks or see the complete Aquatic Life Benchmarks table.