The California Department of Pesticide Regulation today released its annual Air Monitoring Report, which found that no air samples taken at monitoring sites in 2023 detected pesticides at or above health-protective screening levels or regulatory targets.
DPR operates four monitoring stations in areas with high pesticide use: Oxnard, Santa Maria, Shafter and Watsonville. The stations collect weekly air samples, which are tested for 40 pesticides.
The 2023 data found that 95% of all samples collected had no detectable pesticides. Twenty-one pesticides were not detected at all, and 11 were detected at very low, trace levels which indicates unlikely risk to or impact on people’s health.
Seven pesticides were detected at quantifiable levels, with detections falling below health-protective screening levels or regulatory targets. Those pesticides were 1,3-dichloropropene, captan, dichlorvos (DDVP), methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), malathion, methyl bromide and pendimethalin.
DPR is evaluating a detection of one pesticide, chloropicrin, which was measured at just below the health screening level (7% below) to inform any necessary future action.
The report can be viewed HERE.
DPR will accept public comments on the report until 5 p.m. on Nov. 12.
Comments can be submitted online using the SmartComment platform.
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