Toxic Pesticides
Conduct Screen Environmental Harm
Companies that manufacture, distribute, or derive significant revenue from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or industrial chemicals with documented ecological or human health harm — includes manufacturers of neonicotinoids, glyphosate, and pesticide formulations containing PFAS. Note: PFAS contamination from non-pesticide products (Teflon, firefighting foam, food packaging) does NOT belong here — that is a harmful products or environmental_damage issue depending on the specific conduct. The test is the product, not incidental chemical use. Distinct from environmental_damage (which covers contamination incidents regardless of product).
11 companies currently excluded under this screen
Excluded Companies (11 total)
Showing 11 of 11 companies excluded under this screen.
| Ticker | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| CTVA | Corteva | Corteva Agriscience is a global manufacturer of agricultural pesticides and seeds, deriving the majority of its revenue from this portfolio. The company produces and markets synthetic pesticides, including formulations containing chemicals linked to significant ecological and human health harms. A 2020 analysis found that more than a third of pesticide sales by major firms, including Corteva, contained chemicals highly toxic to human health, bees, or aquatic life. The company’s herbicide Enlist Duo, a combination of 2,4-D and glyphosate, was the subject of a decade-long legal campaign by the Center for Food Safety over its risks. Both active ingredients have been linked to an elevated risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In February 2026, Corteva canceled the nationwide registration for this product following litigation. Separately, in December 2022, a federal appeals court ruled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unlawfully approved the expanded use of another Corteva pesticide, sulfoxaflor, by failing to adequately consider its risks to bees. Corteva is also a defendant, alongside Syngenta, in a 2025 antitrust lawsuit filed by twelve state attorneys general. The complaint alleges the companies used “illegal” loyalty programs to block generic pesticides from the market, maintaining high prices for their products. |
| DOLE | Dole PLC | Dole PLC, through its Dole Food Company subsidiary, is a global producer and distributor of fresh fruit, notably bananas and pineapples. Its agricultural operations have been the subject of long-running litigation concerning the use of pesticides alleged to cause human harm. A series of lawsuits filed by thousands of agricultural workers from Nicaragua and the Philippines claimed injuries, including sterility, from exposure to pesticides on Dole banana farms. While some cases were dismissed or overturned on procedural grounds, such as a 2010 U.S. judge overturning a $2.3 million award due to findings of fraud, the underlying allegations of pesticide-related harm have persisted for decades. As of September 2025, a lawsuit concerning the use of toxic chemicals on Central American farms remained active in Hawai'i court, nearly twenty years after it was first filed. The historical pattern of litigation, coupled with ongoing legal proceedings, indicates documented concerns regarding the ecological and human health impacts of pesticide use in Dole's supply chain. |
| BAYZF | Bayer (&Monsanto) | Bayer became the world's largest supplier of both seeds and pesticides following its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto. Its Crop Science division generated approximately EUR 23.3 billion in sales in 2023. The herbicide glyphosate, marketed as Roundup, is central to this portfolio. Bayer has settled tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that glyphosate causes non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with settlement costs exceeding $10 billion. Internal documents released during litigation — the Monsanto Papers — revealed company efforts to influence scientific assessment and counteract the 2015 IARC classification of glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans." Beyond glyphosate, Bayer's portfolio includes neonicotinoid insecticides, cited by researchers as a major contributor to global pollinator decline. A 2024 OECD complaint against Bayer documented the negative impacts of its genetically modified soy agribusiness model in Latin America, citing deforestation, community displacement, and pesticide drift affecting local populations and ecosystems. |
| ECL | Ecolab Inc. | Ecolab Inc. manufactures and markets a range of cleaning, sanitizing, and pest control products, including synthetic pesticides and industrial chemicals. The company has a documented history of regulatory violations related to these products. In 2014, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation levied a $120,000 penalty against Ecolab for a pesticide violation. A more significant penalty of $583,000 was issued by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in 2007 for similar violations. In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Ecolab paid a $214,000 penalty for violations of federal pesticide and hazardous waste regulations stemming from a 2019 fire at its Tacoma, Washington facility. A separate 2025 EPA settlement addressed alleged Resource Conservation and Recovery Act violations. Further, a filed consumer complaint alleges Ecolab falsely marketed its OxyCide disinfectant products as safe and effective to healthcare professionals and consumers. |
| EBAY | eBay Inc. | eBay operates a marketplace where third-party sellers have distributed pesticides in violation of federal law. The U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency allege the company unlawfully distributed or sold at least 23,000 pesticide products that were unregistered, misbranded, or for restricted use without proper safeguards. The complaint, filed in September 2023, also cites the sale of a highly toxic insecticide banned for consumer use. In June 2021, the EPA issued an amended Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Order to eBay, identifying an additional 170 specific pesticides unlawfully held for sale on the platform. The government's case asserts that eBay's sales of these products violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). While a related case was dismissed on procedural grounds in 2024, the underlying allegations of widespread distribution of unlawful pesticides through eBay's platform remain. |
| CENT | Central Garden & Pet Company | Central Garden & Pet Company manufactures and distributes a range of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and lawn care chemicals through its Garden segment. This segment generated approximately $2.4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023, representing about 65% of the company's total sales. Its major retail customers include Walmart, The Home Depot, and Lowe's. The company has a documented history of regulatory violations related to its pesticide products. In 2020, the U.S. EPA settled with Central Garden & Pet and another firm for distributing pesticide products with outdated labeling that lacked current safety information. Earlier, in 2006, the company received a sixty-day notice of intent to sue for alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act related to a product. It has also been subject to enforcement actions under California's Proposition 65 for knowingly exposing individuals to listed chemicals without proper warning. |
| LXU | LSB Industries | LSB Industries manufactures nitrogen-based chemical products for agricultural markets, including ammonia-based fertilizers and concentrated nitric acid used in pesticide formulations. The company's El Dorado Chemical Co. subsidiary was cited for pesticide-related violations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), including the unlawful distribution or sale of pesticides. While LSB's primary revenue driver is fertilizer production, its chemical operations directly support the agricultural pesticide supply chain. In 2014, LSB Industries paid $725,000 in penalties as part of a Clean Air Act settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Justice Department. The company's El Dorado concentrated nitric acid plant was later destroyed in an explosion in May of the following year. These incidents reflect operational risks associated with its chemical manufacturing activities. |
| ROL | ROLLINS INC | Rollins, Inc. operates a global pest control business through subsidiaries including Orkin, HomeTeam Pest Defense, and Western Pest Services. The company's core service is the application of synthetic pesticides in residential, commercial, and institutional settings. While the company does not manufacture pesticides, its business model is built on the distribution and application of these chemicals. The company's service offerings include the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, such as imidacloprid, which are linked to ecological harm, including impacts on pollinator populations. Rollins has been identified in regulatory documents, including a 2018 EPA information request, concerning the approved uses of neonicotinoids like clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran. The company's operations contribute to the environmental load of these synthetic chemicals. |
| UAN | CVR Partners, LP | CVR Partners, LP manufactures nitrogen fertilizer products, including UAN (urea ammonium nitrate) solution. The company's own filings state these products are used in conjunction with pesticides and herbicides, providing flexibility and cost savings to farmers. While CVR Partners is not a direct manufacturer of synthetic pesticides, its core business is the production of agricultural inputs designed to be integrated with chemical pest control regimens. The available evidence does not specify revenue from pesticide-adjacent activities or document particular ecological harm from CVR Partners' specific products. Further investigation is needed to determine if the company's operations or product use directly contribute to the documented ecological or human health harms defined by this exclusion category. |
| SMG | The Scotts Miracle Gro Co | The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is a major manufacturer and distributor of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and lawn care products. In 2008, the EPA ordered the recall of four of the company's pesticide products that were illegal, unregistered, and misbranded. The company pleaded guilty in 2012 to federal charges for treating its wild bird food with a pesticide known to be toxic to birds, resulting in a $4 million penalty. This followed a 2008 plea agreement where the company paid $12.5 million for selling misbranded and unregistered pesticides. The pattern of regulatory violations extends to environmental permits; in 2024, a Scotts subsidiary, Hyponex Corp., reached a $100,000 settlement with the EPA for alleged violations of pollutant discharge limits at its Ohio facility. |
| SPB | Spectrum Brands Holdings | Spectrum Brands Holdings is a primary competitor in the consumer lawn and garden sector, operating through its Home & Garden business unit. This segment manufactures and markets a range of products, including synthetic pesticides and herbicides under brands like Spectracide. The company's pesticide formulations have been implicated in the national PFAS contamination issue. In 2021, the federal government announced a multi-agency plan to address PFAS pollution nationwide, with a specific focus on pesticide products. Spectrum Brands is identified alongside other major manufacturers as a key player in this market segment linked to the contamination. |
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A digest of changes to our exclusion list — new additions, removals, and the evidence behind them. We review the list continuously as new evidence surfaces.
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