Welcome to the Department of Pesticide Regulation

Air Program

Back to Environmental Monitoring Branch

Protecting the air we breathe is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). We focus not only on preventing health problems that can be caused by pesticide air toxins, but also on reducing pesticide emissions that contribute to air pollution.

  • Update on air program activities, PDF (33 kb) (July 2012)
  • Toxic air contaminants (TACs)
    DPR evaluates pesticides in air and, in cooperation with scientific reviewers, determines potential health risks. If we identify a pesticide as a TAC, we work with other agencies if stricter controls are needed.
  • Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
    DPR tracks and reduces emissions from agricultural and structural pesticide products of these smog-producing compounds.
  • Fumigant regulatory issues
    DPR develops and implements regulatory requirements to reduce impacts of fumigants as both TACs and VOCs.
  • Community and special projects
    Most DPR air program activities focus on individual pesticides, but some projects focus on multiple pesticides in selected communities. DPR also monitors air, water, and other media when pesticides are applied by government agencies for exotic pests in residential areas.
    • Air monitoring network – One of the community projects is a monitoring network that samples ambient air for multiple pesticides in several communities on a regular schedule, over several years.
  • Publications

For content questions, contact:
Randy Segawa
1001 I Street, P.O. Box 4015
Sacramento, CA 95812-4015
Telephone: (916) 324-4137
E-mail: rsegawa@cdpr.ca.gov