20
Oct
Escalating Bacterial Resistance Supports Call for Ban of Antibiotic Pesticides in Agriculture and Synthetic Turf
(Beyond Pesticides, October 20, 2025) With the release of a study that links the use of nitrogen fertilizer in combination with antibiotic pesticides to escalating bacterial resistance, public health advocates are renewing their call for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Congress to eliminate antibiotic pesticide use in land management. This action comes on the heels of a World Health Organization (WHO) study finding that antibiotic resistance is evolving even faster than previously thought.
WHO finds, “One in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections causing common infections in people worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatments. . .. Between 2018 and 2023, antibiotic resistance rose in over 40% of the pathogen-antibiotic combinations monitored, with an average annual increase of 5–15%.”
These findings, linking pesticides, antibiotics, and nitrogen fertilizers to antibiotic resistance, again raise serious concerns about the deadly impacts of conventional (chemical-intensive) agricultural practices on human health. The researchers found that nitrogen is a strong driver of resistance processes. The richness and diversity of phages—viruses that attack bacteria and can transmit antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—is highest in the groups exposed to both nitrogen and combined pesticides, and the abundance of ARGs in phages becomes “markedly elevated” in those same exposure conditions.
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics for medical purposes is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world. Globally, about five million deaths in 2019 are associated with antibiotic-resistant microbial infections, including 1.27 million deaths attributable to bacterial AMR. We cannot afford to ignore any cause of resistance, given the health implications of ineffective treatments for bacterial and fungal diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “More than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. When Clostridioides difficile—a bacterium that is not typically resistant but can cause deadly diarrhea is associated with antibiotic use—is added to these, the U.S. toll of all the threats in the report exceeds 3 million infections and 48,000 deaths.” According to a 2021 article in Current Research in Microbial Sciences, “Antibiotic resistance in agriculture: Perspectives on upcoming strategies to overcome upsurge in resistance,” the leading consumers of antibiotics in developed countries are U.S. consumers. So, the U.S. population may have the most to lose from antibiotic resistance.
By 2050, various sources estimate that antibiotic resistance could increase global health care costs by $1 trillion to $100 trillion. While the world slowly realizes the urgent need to counter antibiotic resistance, the role of pesticides in generating it has received less political and public attention. But there is no doubt that pesticides are strongly implicated. In fact, the resistance of microbes to antibiotics is no different from the well-documented resistance of insects and plants to pesticides.
When antimicrobial or antibiotic pesticides are sprayed on a crop, they induce antibiotic resistance in bacteria that are present by killing susceptible bacteria—which may or may not be pathogenic—and allowing resistant bacteria to proliferate. Those resistant bacteria move off the site on produce, workers’ clothing, and the wind. Prevention of chemical drift is therefore inadequate to protect against the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The now well-known phenomenon of horizontal gene transfer—the movement of genes in bacteria from one bacterial species to another, which is facilitated by phages—means that ARGs in those (possibly harmless) bacteria can move to bacteria that cause disease in plants or humans.
A recent study “elaborate[s] the mechanism underlying the effects of pesticides on bacterial antibiotic resistance acquisition as well as the propagation of antimicrobial resistance. Pesticide stress enhanced the acquisition of antibiotic resistance in bacteria via various mechanisms, including the activation of efflux pumps, inhibition of outer membrane pores for resistance to antibiotics, and gene mutation induction.” Furthermore, the study found, “Pesticides promoted the conjugation transfer of ARGs [antibiotic resistance genes] by increasing cell membrane permeability and increased the proportion of bacterial mobile gene elements, which facilitate the spread of ARGs.”
The presence of both pesticides and antibiotics in water bodies—lakes, rivers, and oceans—and especially those receiving both agricultural runoff and hospital waste—multiplies the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Further, the waters of the world are largely connected, from snow zones to oceans, so that in many cases what enters one body of water affects everything downstream.
The antibiotic streptomycin has been banned for agricultural use on crops in many countries, and, after the Ninth Circuit’s December 2023 decision vacating the 2021 registration amendments for streptomycin because of the Agency’s failure to comply with the Endangered Species Act, is no longer registered by EPA. The antibiotic oxytetracycline hydrochloride is registered for use on tree crops. The antibiotic kasugamycin is also registered by EPA. Oxolinic acid and gentamicin are registered as antimicrobials in other countries. All of these have therapeutic uses in humans.
In addition to use on crops, antimicrobials used to manage synthetic turf for bacteria, mold, and fungus raise serious health issues and represent a threat that does not exist in organic land management. A builder of sports facilities, American Athletic, states, “Beyond surface cleaning, the artificial turf should be sanitized weekly or monthly to protect the players’ and coaches’ health. This disinfection requires special solvents, cleansers, and anti-microbial products to remove invisible particles and bacterial growth. You should strive to sanitize the field after every game and throughout the school day if it’s used for physical education classes.”
Finally, two facts lead to the conclusion that focusing on materials sold as antibiotics or antimicrobials is too shortsighted. First, science shows that use of any antibiotics anywhere can increase antibiotic resistance everywhere. Second, many pesticides not intended to kill microbes—such as the herbicides glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba—also induce antibiotic resistance in deadly human pathogens. These two facts lead to the conclusion that we must stop broadcasting pesticides in the environment and applying them to food. The crisis in antibiotic resistance, which creates a threat of another pandemic, is ignored in the registration of pesticides. The antibiotic impacts of pesticides cited above were discovered only after the pesticides had been disseminated in the environment for decades.
In response to these new studies, Beyond Pesticides issued the following action: EPA must not register pesticides unless they have been demonstrated not to contribute to antibiotic resistance and must cancel the registration of those that do.
Letter to EPA
Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world—according to the World Health Organization, even faster than previously thought. Globally, about five million people died in 2019 from antibiotic-resistant microbial infections. We cannot afford to ignore any cause of resistance, given the health implications of ineffective treatments for bacterial and fungal diseases. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “More than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. When Clostridioides difficile—a bacterium that is not typically resistant but can cause deadly diarrhea is associated with antibiotic use—is added to these, the U.S. toll of all the threats in the report exceeds 3 million infections and 48,000 deaths.”
When antimicrobial pesticides are sprayed on a crop, they induce resistance in bacteria that are present by killing susceptible bacteria—which may or may not be pathogenic—allowing resistant bacteria to proliferate. The resistant bacteria move off the site on crops, workers, and the wind. Prevention of chemical drift is thus inadequate to protect against the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The fact of horizontal gene transfer means that antibiotic resistance genes in those (possibly harmless) bacteria can move to pathogens.
In addition, pesticides produce enhanced antibiotic resistance in bacteria by activating efflux pumps, inhibiting outer membrane pores for resistance to antibiotics, promoting gene mutation, and increasing conjugation transfer of antibiotic resistance genes through increased cell membrane permeability and a greater proportion of bacterial mobile gene elements.
In addition to crops, antimicrobials are used to manage synthetic turf. A builder of sports facilities, American Athletic, states, “Beyond surface cleaning, the artificial turf should be sanitized weekly or monthly to protect the players’ and coaches’ health. This disinfection requires special solvents, cleansers, and antimicrobial products to remove invisible particles and bacterial growth. You should strive to sanitize the field after every game and throughout the school day if it’s used for physical education classes.”
Finally, focusing on materials sold as antibiotics or antimicrobials is too shortsighted. First, science shows that use of any antibiotics anywhere can increase antibiotic resistance everywhere. Second, many pesticides not intended to kill microbes—such as the herbicides glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba—also induce antibiotic resistance in deadly human pathogens. Thus, we must stop broadcasting pesticides in the environment. The crisis in antibiotic resistance, which creates a threat of another pandemic, is ignored in the registration of pesticides. The antibiotic impacts of pesticides cited above were discovered only after the pesticides had been disseminated in the environment for decades.
EPA must not register pesticides unless they have been demonstrated not to contribute to antibiotic resistance and must cancel the registration of those that do.
Thank you.
Letter to U.S. Congress
Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world—according to the World Health Organization, even faster than previously thought. Globally, about five million people died in 2019 from antibiotic-resistant microbial infections. We cannot afford to ignore any cause of resistance, given the health implications of ineffective treatments for bacterial and fungal diseases. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “More than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. When Clostridioides difficile—a bacterium that is not typically resistant but can cause deadly diarrhea is associated with antibiotic use—is added to these, the U.S. toll of all the threats in the report exceeds 3 million infections and 48,000 deaths.”
When antimicrobial pesticides are sprayed on a crop, they induce resistance in bacteria that are present by killing susceptible bacteria—which may or may not be pathogenic—allowing resistant bacteria to proliferate. The resistant bacteria move off the site on crops, workers, and the wind. Prevention of chemical drift is thus inadequate to protect against the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The fact of horizontal gene transfer means that antibiotic resistance genes in those (possibly harmless) bacteria can move to pathogens.
In addition, pesticides produce enhanced antibiotic resistance in bacteria by activating efflux pumps, inhibiting outer membrane pores for resistance to antibiotics, promoting gene mutation, and increasing conjugation transfer of antibiotic resistance genes through increased cell membrane permeability and a greater proportion of bacterial mobile gene elements.
In addition to crops, antimicrobials are used to manage synthetic turf. A builder of sports facilities, American Athletic, states, “Beyond surface cleaning, the artificial turf should be sanitized weekly or monthly to protect the players’ and coaches’ health. This disinfection requires special solvents, cleansers, and antimicrobial products to remove invisible particles and bacterial growth. You should strive to sanitize the field after every game and throughout the school day if it’s used for physical education classes.”
Finally, focusing on materials sold as antibiotics or antimicrobials is too shortsighted. First, science shows that use of any antibiotics anywhere can increase antibiotic resistance everywhere. Second, many pesticides not intended to kill microbes—such as the herbicides glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba—also induce antibiotic resistance in deadly human pathogens. Thus, we must stop broadcasting pesticides in the environment. The crisis in antibiotic resistance, which creates a threat of another pandemic, is ignored in the registration of pesticides. The antibiotic impacts of pesticides cited above were discovered only after the pesticides had been disseminated in the environment for decades.
Please ensure EPA does not register pesticides unless they have been demonstrated not to contribute to antibiotic resistance and cancels the registration of those that do.
Thank you.
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.
Source: PNAS, World Health Organization
