The California Department of Pesticides Regulation released a report on the proven benefits of pesticide regulation in areas that didn't meet air quality standards. Pesticide regulation started to stop smog-producing emissions from getting into the air and damaging the environment. The first year the department began regulating emissions was in 2008.
The DPR created a Web-based calculator for farmers to estimate their smog-producing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from their applications of nonfumigant pesticides. "VOCs combine with nitrogen oxides in sunlight to form ozone, a major air pollutant." The non-fumigant calculator is available for most current internet browsers and can be found by clicking here.
“This tool allows users to enter the product, rate, and number of acres and applications to determine potential VOC emissions for various application scenarios,” DPR Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam stated. “It will help growers make informed decisions on product selection to voluntarily reduce nonfumigant emissions. The calculator complements a similar tool we developed two years ago for fumigant applications.”
Areas that didn't meet federal air quality standards needed new regulations before further environmental damage occurred. "The potential for VOC reductions from nonfumigants is significant, especially in the San Joaquin Valley where they comprised 77 percent of VOC pesticide emissions in 2008,” Warmerdam stated. DPR is joining forces with pesticide manufacturers to continue working with the products and continue sponsoring university-based research.
Non-fumigants in the San Joaquin Valley produce around 65 percent of VOC emissions from pesticides, which is mostly because of their formulation. "Products formulated as emulsifiable concentrates typically contain solvents and tend to have the highest emissions, while solid formulations have the
lowest emissions." Reformulating these harmful products with high VOC emissions is the key to preventing harmful air qualities that don't meet standards.
Source: The California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Written by Amy Munday
Huliq.com
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