California launches first online pesticide alert system

In order to alert agricultural workers about pesticide applications, the state of California launched a new statewide pesticide notification system, called Spray Days in California, the first of its kind. It is a warning system to reduce the damage caused by this toxic chemical.

Daniela Rodriguez, a UC Berkeley Fellow and Radio Bilingüe reporter, prepared this dispatch.

The “Spray Days” system is a system initiated by the Department of Pesticide Regulation, which is a state department in California. It is an online system where one can have the opportunity to put in an address and can indicate if a hazardous pesticide is going to be applied within a mile of that address.

Angel Garcia points out that the “Spray Days” system was created out of necessity and demand from the people decades ago, as was the fight led by the United Farm Workers (UFW) over pesticide warnings required in labor contracts.

In the 1990s, our CPR organization called for the right to know about pesticide use in schools. And this culminated in the “Healthy Schools Act” of 2000.

But also with more recent struggles, she tells us.

There have been fights with the AB617 committee in Shafter, where they demanded advance notification of the use of fumigants, pesticides that are usually in the form of a gas.

The co-director of Californians For Pesticide Reform emphasizes that the “Fumigation Days” system only reports on the most hazardous pesticides, not all those applied in California.

The format in which the information is viewed, by phone or by a computer, which can be made to make this easier to navigate, suggestions on what health effects “x” pesticide has.

People in the community have also suggested that the exact location of the areas where pesticides will be sprayed be included, as the Spray Days system does not yet provide details. Angel Garcia says that, along with his network of more than 200 organizations, they hope to collaborate with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to share data and experiences to help improve the system.

While this is a big step forward and people can finally at least know about a very short list of when they will apply, there is still much to be done.

It does, however, underscore the risks that pesticides pose to the health and welfare of their communities if people are exposed to them for long periods of time.

That is why we applaud this first step, because at least they are going to start warning us about pesticides that may be related to cancer, or may be related to autism, or related to problems in the nervous system: respiratory problems, the effect on the lungs, the effect on brain development.

Angel also mentions that in local communities in the San Joaquin Valley there are cases where too many people have been affected by fumigants.

They have experienced pesticide drift that when applied to a nearby field, the smell, or even some kind of breeze comes onto their property, into their cars, into their clothes, into their homes. There are dozens and dozens of such cases.

“Spray Days is the world’s first pesticide information system of its kind, and Angel Garcia stresses the importance of becoming familiar with how to use it.

At least know that this system was just launched this past March 24 and that it is a system that is important in the fight for pesticide transparency, so that communities have an opportunity to take precautions to better protect their health.

Another option to stay informed is to visit the Spray Days website (https://spraydays.cdpr.ca.gov) where you can sign up to receive pesticide application alerts in your area by phone or email.

Many thanks to Daniela Rodríguez, UC Berkeley Fellow and Radio Bilingüe reporter, for this report.