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Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Pesticides

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Subscribe to receive periodic e-mail updates on activities of DPR’s Volatile Organic Compound Program.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, which is harmful to human health and vegetation when present at high enough concentrations. The federal Clean Air Act requires each state to submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) for achieving and maintaining federal ambient air quality standards, including the standard for ozone. Nonattainment areas (NAAs) are regions in California that do not meet either federal or state ambient air quality standards. California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) and DPR developed a plan to track and reduce pesticidal sources of VOCs in NAAs as part of the California SIP to meet the ozone standard. DPR is responsible for agricultural and commercial structural pesticide products, and ARB is responsible for pesticides in consumer products.

• State Implementation Plan and maps of nonattainment areas
• Tracking pesticide VOC emissions (emission inventory)
  • Methods used to estimate VOC emissions
  • Emission inventory reports and data
  • Regulatory requirements
• Calculating VOC Emissions
  • Calculating emissions from fumigants
  • Calculating emissions from non-fumigants
• Reducing pesticide VOC emissions
  • Conservation Management Practices Guide: Reducing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Agricultural Pesticide Applications (PDF, 431 kb)
  • Regulatory actions to reduce VOC emissions from pesticides
    • DPR wins appeal on pesticides and air quality (news release, August 20, 2008)
    • DPR Sees Opportunity to Clear the Air (commentary from Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam, appearing in various state media - August 2008) (PDF, 39 kb)
  • Regulatory requirements for reformulation of liquid pesticides
  • Air Quality Initiative
• Research
• Related links
  • Air Monitoring Network
  • Air Resources Board (ARB)
    • Agricultural activities
    • Consumer products program (including home-use pesticides)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) may provide financial support to growers who use precision pesticide spray technology to reduce VOC emissions

For content questions contact:
Randy Segawa
Telephone: (916) 324-4137
E-mail: rsegawa@cdpr.ca.gov