The Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants this week unanimously approved the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s staff report that will list chlorpyrifos as a toxic air contaminant.  According to the report, chlorpyrifos may pose a public health risk as a toxic air contaminant based on its assessment of the latest studies in the scientific community and a “conservative” model of various scenarios in its risk assessment.

California Citrus Mutual argues the state yielded to activist pressure and argues its risk assessment relies on modeling with unrealistic exposure scenarios, such as a child directly downwind of an application every day for 21 days.

“We believe that the risk assessment steps away from a well-established approach of relying on sound scientific research and actual data based on current practices.  The modeling approach used created an overly conservative assessment that is not consistent with extensive air monitoring that has been conducted,” said Casey Creamer, CCM’s executive vice president.

Within the next 30 days, DPR staff will finalize the risk assessment and send it to DPR director Brian Leahy.  Within 10 days of receiving the report, Leahy will be required to prepare a public meeting notice.  During the public process, DPR will receive comments and prepare additional mitigation options for the use of chlorpyrifos.

CCM officials say they are leading the effort to combat what they call "this ultra-conservative assessment" and will continue to engage with DPR, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the state Department of Food and Agriculture and Gov. Jerry Brown's office on the importance of the crop protection tool and the need for "sound science" in this and future processes at DPR.

Source: California Citrus Mutual