California Department of Pesticide Regulation Moves to Ban the Use of Chlorpyrifos Pesticide

In 2015, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) designated chlorpyrifos (CPS) as a “restricted material” that requires a permit from a county agricultural commissioner for its application. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide that goes by a number of trade names and has been used on a variety of crops in California.

In April of this year, the pesticide was formally listed as a “toxic air contaminant.” California law defines this listing as “an air pollutant which may cause or contribute to an increase in mortality, an increase in serious illness or present a potential hazard to human health.” The following month, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced DPR was acting to ban the use of the pesticide and toxic air contaminant in the state by initiating cancellation of the pesticide.

According to a joint CalEPA and DPR news release:

The decision to ban chlorpyrifos follows mounting evidence, including recent findings by the state’s independent Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants, that the pesticide causes serious health effects in children and other sensitive populations at lower levels of exposure than previously understood. These effects include impaired brain and neurological development.

“The formal cancellation process for chlorpyrifos is expected to take up to two years,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “During this time, DPR recommendations to county agricultural commissioners include a ban on aerial spraying, quarter-mile buffer zones and limiting use to crop-pest combinations that lack alternatives. Farmers, workers, regulators, environmental professionals and people living in communities in areas where these types of pesticides are used can turn to LA Testing for answers to questions about exposure risks. LA Testing’s laboratories offer environmental and industrial hygiene testing for chlorpyrifos and over a dozen other organophosphate pesticides. These testing services can be instrumental for identifying occupational exposure risks and potential hazards to nearby communities and the environment.”

To learn more about pesticide or other environmental and industrial hygiene testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

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