CalEnviroscreen Version 1.1 - OEHHA - State of California

CalEnviroScreen 1.1
their urine up to 2.5 times higher than a representative sample of U.S.
women (Bradman et al., 2005). Some research indicates that proximity
to agricultural fields is correlated with measured concentrations in homes
(Bradman et al., 2007; Harnly et al., 2009). A recent study in California
comparing farmworker homes to homes of low income urban residents
found indoor concentrations of an agricultural pesticide only in homes of
farmworkers (Quiros-Alcala et al., 2011). Another study, based on data
from the California Pesticide Use Report database, found that nearby
agricultural pesticide use was significantly associated with pesticide
concentrations in carpet dust (Gunier et al., 2011).
A large cohort study of male pesticide applicators found a significant
association between the use of four specific insecticides and aggressive
prostate cancer (Koutros et al., 2012). Prenatal exposure to the
organophosphate chlorpyrifos has been associated with abnormalities in
brain structure in children (Rauh et al., 2012). An examination of national
pesticide illness data concluded that agricultural workers and residents
near agriculture had the highest rates of pesticide poisoning from drift
incidents. Soil fumigation accounted for most of the cases (Lee et al.,
2011). DPR has also documented numerous pesticide drift incidents that
have led to illness in California (O’Malley et al., 2005). Because of their
physical and chemical characteristics, fumigants and other volatile
pesticides are most likely to be involved in pesticide drift incidents and
illnesses. However, any pesticide that is applied by air or sprayed
during windy conditions can drift over neighboring communities
(Coronado et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2011).
Method Specific pesticides included in the measure of pesticide use were
narrowed from the list of all registered pesticides in use in California to
focus on a subset of 66 chemicals that are filtered for hazard and
volatility. Volatility is indicative of higher likelihood of drift and
exposure (See Appendix).
Production agricultural pesticide use records were obtained for the
entire state for the years 2009 and 2010.
Production pesticide use (total pounds of selected active ingredient)
for MTRS records were matched to ZIP codes using a match file
created in the GIS software ArcMap.
Production pesticide use for each ZIP code was divided by each ZIP
code’s area.
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