Toxic Air Contaminant Program

Control (Risk Management)

Back to Environmental Monitoring Branch
Back to Toxic Air Contaminant Program
	Based on the evaluation, the Director of the DPR determines whether the candidate is a toxic air contaminant. If the Director determines the pesticide meets the criteria, DPR designates the pesticide a toxic air contaminant in regulation, and adds it to the toxic air contaminant list. The law also requires DPR to administratively designate pesticides as toxic air contaminants if they are substances listed as Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) (link opens in new browser window) under section 7412 of Title 42 of the United States Code. Once a pesticide has been designated a toxic air contaminant, it enters the control, or mitigation, phase. In the mitigation phase, DPR investigates the need for, and appropriate degree of, control for the toxic air contaminant. If reductions in exposure are needed, DPR must develop control measures to reduce emissions to levels that adequately protect public health. DPR must use the best practicable control techniques available. For pesticides designated through the evaluation process, DPR develops control measures in consultation with the Air Resources Board, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the Department of Food and Agriculture, agricultural commissioners, and air pollution control districts. Control measures may be implemented by several methods, including statewide regulations, local permit conditions, and product cancellation, to name a few. DPR and other organizations may conduct monitoring or data analysis to determine the necessity or effectiveness of control measures. Implementing control measures under the toxic air contaminant program is methodical and time-consuming. DPR may use other legal authority to implement control measures, particularly for pesticides that pose an immediate health threat. Criteria for listing a pesticide as a toxic air contaminant List of pesticides designated as toxic air contaminants Regulatory documents and activities Information on effectiveness of control measures EH00-10 Johnson, B. 2001. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Methyl Bromide Soil Buffer Zones in Maintaining Acute Exposures Below a Reference Air Concentration (PDF, 1.7 mb) The ARB has a network of stations that routinely monitor California's air for a variety of pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, metals, and other toxic air contaminants. In 2002, ARB began monitoring for two pesticides, methyl bromide and 1,3-dichloropropene, every 12 days at approximately 20 stations in primarily urban areas throughout the State. Detailed descriptions of this monitoring are available from the following ARB web page: http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/toxics/toxics.html (link opens in new browser window)