Bans pesticides with missing health studies from use in schools and homes.
Bans pesticides with inert ingredients known to cause cancer or reproductive harm from use in schools and homes.
Assesses a fee on "high hazard" pesticides to fund demonstration projects on alternative pest control methods.
[also AB 1742 (HAYDEN)]
Enforces the "data gap" deadlines first established by the BIRTH DEFECT PREVENTION ACT (SB 950, 1984) by cancelling the registration of pesticides lacking health and safety tests. Pesticide companies failed to meet the deadlines for 120 of the 200 priority pesticides.
Eliminates extremely toxic poisons from the workplace in order to enhance farmworker safety.
Requires the Department of Health Services (rather than Food and Ag) to set tolerances for pesticide residues in food based on children's health and safety.
Restructures fees on pesticides based on toxicity and directs money to research on less toxic alternatives.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (Cal-EPA)
Governor Wilson has proposed a restructuring of environmental regulatory agencies. Pesticide regulatory program would move from CDFA to Cal-EPA, but remain separate from other toxic chemical regulatory programs, which may not mean any change from current weak regulation. Risk assessment would be brought under Cal-EPA which has been criticized, because that brings it under the influence of the regulators.
For more information on the status of these bills and what you can do to help:
Senator Petris' office, Bruce Jennings or Carrie Lopez916-445-6577
Assm. Connely's office,
Susan Strachan 916-445-2484
Assm. Hayden's office, Kip Wiley
916-445-1676
Pesticide Watch, Joan Clayburgh
213-278-9254
California Rural Legal Assistance,
Ralph Lightstone916-446-1416
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited