Why Is This Important?
Widespread use of toxic pesticides can damage human health and the environment. Toxic pesticides are nerve toxins, and can cause cancer, pose reproductive hazards, disrupt hormone function, and pollute the air and water. Pesticides that are applied to homes, gardens, buildings, agriculture, rights of way, and other areas can run off into waterways, polluting water and threatening the health of wildlife. Organic food production (a $16.7 billion dollar industry in the United States that grew 21 percent in 2006) and nontoxic pest management are emerging as alternatives to toxic pesticide use.

 

What Is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the most toxic pesticides are eliminated from use and nontoxic management practices are widespread.

How Are We Doing?

  • In 2006, of the 262,000 pounds of pesticides used in San Mateo County for nonresidential purposes, 59 percent (154,000 pounds) were classified as most toxic by the Pesticide Action Network.
  • In 2006, the use of the most toxic pesticides was 6 percent lower than 2005, but still well above total usage during the years 2000 through 2004.
  • In 2006, agriculture and structural pest control each accounted for 30 percent of total nonresidential pesticide use in the county. Structural
    pest control includes measures such as termite, ant, and roach control.


Data sources:California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Pesticide
Action Network

Data sources:California Department of Pesticide Regulation
and the Pesticide Action Network

In 2006, three pesticides accounted for 69 percent of the most toxic pesticides used in the county (for nonresidential purposes).

  • Sulfuryl fluoride, an acutely toxic fumigant used for termite pest control by structural pest control companies, was the most heavily used toxic pesticide in the county (30 percent of total).
  • Metam-sodium, a pre-plant fumigant used primarily on Brussels sprouts and for rights of way, was the second most heavily used pesticide in the county (24 percent of total). Metam-sodium is acutely toxic, a known carcinogen, and considered a developmental or reproductive toxin.
  • Sodium fluoride, an acutely toxic pesticide used for rights of way, was third (15 percent of total).

Update
The original Pesticide Use indicator in the 2008 Indicators Report, SSMC reported that over 105,000 pounds of the pesticide Oryzalin was used in San Mateo County in 2006. This was based on the 2006 Annual Pesticide Use Report issued by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). SSMC was unable to determine the reason for the rise in Oryzalin use before the publishing date of the Indicators Report.

After an article in the San Francisco Examiner highlighted our findings (found at ),
the DPR investigated the rise in Oryzalin use and found an error in its reporting. The error was because one user of Oryzalin reported its use in gallons when it actually was in ounces, thereby significantly overstating its overall usage. The revised total Oryzalin used in the county was 1,507 pounds rather than 105,000
pounds.

See appendix page 77, CLICK HERE. Researcher: Kendra Armer