fucking FDA/
SILVER
hmmm
_____
Berkey water filters are facing severe sales restrictions and "stop-sale" orders from the EPA because the agency reclassified their Black Berkey Elements as pesticides. The EPA considers the silver used in the filters—which acts as an antimicrobial to kill bacteria—a pesticide under federal law (FIFRA), rather than just a filter component.
Big Berkey Water Filters
Big Berkey Water Filters
+2
Key Aspects of the Berkey Controversy:
EPA Reclassification: In 2022-2023, the EPA decided that because Berkey filters use silver to kill pathogens, they fall under the legal definition of a pesticide device, requiring different regulatory compliance.
Stop-Sale Orders: The EPA issued orders stopping the sale of certain Berkey products. The manufacturer, New Millennium Concepts Ltd., has contested this in court, arguing that silver is industry-standard for protecting filters from biological growth.
Not a Total Ban: Berkey systems are not completely banned, but they have experienced significant supply chain shortages and "stop-sale" orders that have halted the sale of their primary filters (Black Berkey elements) in many places.
The "Pesticide" Definition: The EPA classifies "any substance… intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest" as a pesticide, which they argue includes the microorganisms that silver filters, such as those from Big Berkey Water Filters, target.
California Regulations: Some sales restrictions are exacerbated by California's strict regulations regarding products that contain certain substances and requirements for scientific certification.
Legal Action: The manufacturer has sued the EPA, arguing the agency is arbitrarily reclassifying their products and not following proper procedures.
Big Berkey Water Filters
Big Berkey Water Filters
+7
Note: While some retailers may still have stock, the manufacturer has faced significant, ongoing legal challenges, as noted by BOROUX Water Filters.
BOROUX Water Filters
BOROUX Water Filters