While statewide pesticide use declines, chlorpyrifos use increases

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation released its 2017 Pesticide Use Report on June 11 and found that while pesticide use dropped across the state from 2016 to 2017, the use of the controversial pesticide chlorpyrifos actually increased. 

Throughout the state, a little more than 3.7 million pounds fewer pesticides were used on farms, in landscaping, and for pest control in 2017 than the year before. The 2 percent decrease from 2016 to 2017 includes a drop in the most hazardous chemicals used, according to the report, many of which are considered to be carcinogens and have potential to contaminate groundwater and air. 

The use of carcinogenic pesticides decreased by 5.6 percent to 41.7 million pounds, compared to 44.2 million pounds in 2016. The use of fumigant pesticides decreased by 5.8 percent, and the use of pesticides that are toxic air contaminants decreased by 6.4 percent. 

In Santa Barbara County, Agricultural Commissioner Cathy Fisher said pesticide use dropped by 131,370 pounds from 2016 to 2017, though Fisher said it will take more time to determine exactly why. 

Despite the overall decrease in pesticide use statewide, the use of chlorpyrifos—a chemical insecticide used on California nut trees and on fruit, vegetable, and grain crops to kill mites and other insects—increased by 5 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s report. 

The department said in a press release that overall use of chlorpyrifos has been steadily decreasing for the last decade. The department also noted its plans to ban the pesticide, a decision that was made in May after it found “mounting evidence” that chlorpyrifos causes serious health effects in children and other sensitive populations, even at lower levels of exposure than previously thought. Those effects include impaired brain and neurological development, according to the department. 

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