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PANUPS: Methyl Bromide Drift



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September 9, 1996

High Levels of Methyl Bromide Drift in California

Frustrated by state and local officials' failure to protect 
them from what they believe are high levels of exposure, 
residents of two California communities, Ventura and 
Castroville, have moved to have air around their homes tested 
for methyl bromide, a widely used soil fumigant. Initial 
tests show high levels of the toxic pesticide outside of 
state mandated safety zones. 

According to Karen Light of Farm Without Harm, an 
organization based in Castroville, CA, neither state nor 
local officials would agree to do any drift testing in their 
community. Light formed Farm Without Harm last year after she 
and others in her neighborhood became ill when methyl bromide 
was applied to nearby strawberry fields. At that time, 
Monterey County Health officials determined that methyl 
bromide was the cause of the residents' symptoms, which 
included nausea, vomiting and eye irritation. 

State and local officials maintain that they do not routinely 
monitor airborne pesticides in neighborhoods since 
established buffer zones make methyl bromide use safe for 
residents. The State requires a buffer zone of at least 30 
feet from occupied structures such as houses or schools; the 
zone may currently include a homeowner's backyard. The size 
of recommended buffer zones is determined based on field size 
and rate of methyl bromide application. 

Several weeks ago in Ventura, a day care center operator was 
one of several residents who complained of illness after 
methyl bromide was injected into strawberry fields near their 
neighborhood. Residents stated that they suffered headaches, 
nausea, stomach aches and other flu-like symptoms. Two 
families left their homes and the day care center was 
temporarily relocated. Ventura County authorities state that 
the grower's application of methyl bromide was done legally 
and that no pesticide poisonings have been verified. 

Earlier this summer, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a 
Washington-based environmental group, started an ongoing air 
monitoring project that has tested air in two areas. Analysis 
of air samples from the Ventura and Monterey county 
neighborhoods revealed many instances when short-term methyl 
bromide levels were much higher than average levels permitted 
by California safety standards, which are calculated over 24 
hours. 

Analysis of air in a residential neighborhood in Castroville 
confirmed 36 individual detections of methyl bromide 
exceeding 210 parts per billion at a distance of more than 
1,300 feet from the application site -- six times the state 
recommended "safety" buffer zone for that particular site. 
The State of California's 24 hour safety standard is 210 
parts per billion.

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) 
criticized EWG for incorrectly stating that its study showed 
methyl bromide levels exceeding CaliforniaUs 24 hour safety 
standard. Averaged over 24 hours, methyl bromide levels found 
in the tests would have been within legal limits, according 
to a department spokesman. However, EWG argues that they were 
not claiming there were violations of state standards, but 
rather that people in surrounding neighborhoods are being 
exposed to high levels of methyl bromide. 

EWG conducted air monitoring tests using a system approved by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor 
toxic gas emissions and to measure air pollution releases 
>from  factories and refineries. EWG pointed out that DPR does 
not systematically monitor ambient air near agricultural 
fields for methyl bromide or any other pesticide, despite 
data showing that many different pesticides drift off-site 
into surrounding communities after routine, legal 
applications.

Use of methyl bromide was slated to be suspended in 
California in March 1996 due to missing animal testing data 
required under the California Birth Defects Prevention Act. 
At the request of methyl bromide users and producers, 
California Governor Pete Wilson called a Special Session of 
the State Legislature for the purpose of extending the March 
ban. The legislature passed a bill extending the use of 
methyl bromide until the end of 1997 and defeated amendments 
that would have required larger buffer zones around methyl 
bromide application. 

Methyl bromide is classified by the EPA as a Category I acute 
toxin, the most potent class of toxic chemicals. The known 
effects of repeated, sub-lethal exposure include damage to 
the brain, nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys, 
liver, eyes, nose, throat, lungs and skin. Methyl bromide is 
also a potent ozone depleter.

Sources: Ventura County Star Free Press, August 26, 1996; 
Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 23, 1996; Monterey County Herald, 
August 22, 1996; Los Angeles Times, August 23, 1996; RToxic 
Farm Fumigants Drifting Into California Neighborhoods,S EWG, 
August 22, 1996. 
Contact: Environmental Working Group, 1718 Connecticut 
Avenue, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20009; phone (202) 667-
6982; fax (202) 232-2592; email ewg@ewg.org; WWW 
http://www.ewg.org/.

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