End co-formulant secrecy

Pesticides, widely used in modern agriculture, are applied in formulations that contain the main ingredient (active ingredient) and additional chemicals like solvents and surfactants (co-formulants). Both active ingredients and co-formulants can cause human and environmental toxicity. However, under European Union and United States law, the full details of the co-formulant composition are kept secret from the public and researchers. Only the producer and regulators know the full details. Here I argue that legislators should end ‘co-formulant secrecy’ and require all the ingredients in a pesticide be listed openly, including their concentrations. To this end I draw parallels between the legislation for pesticides with that of medicines, review the counterarguments, and discuss the impacts on research and regulation. Co-formulants can be toxicologically relevant, and some are even more toxic than the active ingredient in the formulation. Pesticide users, consumers and scientists deserve to have transparency in understanding what co-formulants are included in pesticide formulations. The stated rationale for secrecy is to protect innovation and reward companies for undertaking expensive research and development. However, secrecy is ineffective at protecting innovation, as it is possible to reverse engineer a formulation’s composition. Further, patents are already utilised, so secrecy adds no additional benefit to industry. I argue that co-formulant secrecy only serves to stifle and limit the ability of independent scientists to conduct research. •Pesticide formulations contain both active ingredients and co-formulants. Both can cause toxicity to non-target organisms.•Under European Union and United States law, the details of the co-formulant composition are not publicly disclosed.•This limits the capacity for researchers to understand and test their impacts on non-target organisms.•The rationale for secrecy is to protect innovation, but this is ineffective and patent law already protects innovation.•Consumers and pesticide end users deserve to have transparency as to what is included in pesticide products.