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Toxic Air Contaminant Program
Monitoring
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California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and Air Resources Board (ARB) conduct monitoring studiesto measure the air concentrations for pesticides that are candidate toxic air contaminants, as well as for pesticides that are designated as toxic air contaminants. The monitoring data for candidates are used to determine if a pesticide meets the criteria for listing as a toxic air contaminant. The monitoring data for designated toxic air contaminants are used to determine the need for and effectiveness of control measures. In general, two types of studies are conducted; samples are collected in ambient community air and in air near an application. For ambient community air measurements, samples are collected at three to five locations in communities near agricultural areas expected to receive applications of the pesticide being monitored. Samples are collected for four days per week for four or more consecutive weeks. For application-site monitoring (e.g. sampling before and after a specific application), samples are collected immediately before, during and for approximately 72 hours following a pesticide application. Samples are normally collected less than 50 feet from the treated area and represent the short-term peak air concentrations (acute exposure).
In addition to its specific legal authority for toxic air contaminants, DPR has general authority to regulate pesticides. Under this general authority, DPR may request additional monitoring by the registrants (manufacturers and distributors) of pesticides.
- DPR requests and recommendations for monitoring
- Protocols for monitoring
- Reports of monitoring
- 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: