Mexico Bans 35 Dangerous Pesticides Including DDT

MEXICO CITY — The federal government published a historic decree on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, prohibiting the importation, production, commercialization, and use of 35 highly dangerous pesticides.

Among the banned compounds are:

• Aldicarb – used on sugar cane and citrus; highly toxic and a water contaminant.
• Carbofuran – one of the most dangerous insecticides; already banned in Canada and Europe but still used in Mexico on coffee, cotton, and avocado crops.
• Endosulfan – restricted in more than 50 countries for its environmental persistence and severe effects on fetal development.
• DDT – banned since the 1970s in much of the world, though Mexico had only partially restricted it.

The Secretary of Agriculture, Julio Berdegué, emphasized that this measure is unprecedented in the country's history and even surpasses the 1991 ban of 21 molecules. This action is part of a comprehensive strategy coordinated by SADER with Cofepris, the Secretary of the Economy, and Semarnat, driven since the start of President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration.

Furthermore, new stages are anticipated: a second list of pesticides to be banned in 2026, and another in 2027, as part of a progressive plan toward cleaner and safer agriculture. The remaining products will stay on the market under strict regulations, comparable to those for prescription medications.