According to California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, four out of five air samples that were collected in 2023 from agriculture-intensive communities had detectable traces of pesticides. The result of the state’s air monitoring confirmed pesticides in 163 of the 207 air samples.
The samples detected 19 pesticides that had harmful effects on human health and the environment.
“The latest air sampling results continue to show pesticides sprayed on fields drift off site and contaminate the air nearby, a serious concern for those who live, go to school or work near farm fields,” Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., an Environmental Working Group senior toxicologist, said. “Some pesticides can drift several miles from fields, putting many people at risk, including farm workers and vulnerable populations like young children, pregnant people and the elderly,” said Temkin.
The air samples were collected from Oxnard, Santa Maria, Shafter and Watsonville with four of the five sample locations were located on school grounds.
Some of the short-term health issues from the pesticides detected in the air monitoring samples included nausea, shortness of breath, and irritation to the eyes and respiratory system, and long-term health effects such as cancer.
While the air samples “show pesticide levels below the state’s health-protective or regulatory targets,” independent scientific research “shows health risks from toxic chemicals could occur at lower levels than what California regulators consider legal and safe—and there are no legal limits on pesticides in air,” according to a press release.
“The fact is nearly 80 percent of the air samples contained detectable pesticide levels, raising concerns for residents, workers, and students in these communities,” Temkin said. “Those living in California’s agricultural regions deserve transparency, not misleading messages from the state’s pesticide regulators that may downplay the risks to human health.”
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