Pesticide Drift and Volatilization Drift
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Posting Fact Sheet
Current as of May 27, 2009
EPA is requiring important new safety measures for soil fumigant pesticides. This fact sheet summarizes new requirements for posting buffer zones around fumigated fields. Buffer zones will help protect agricultural workers and bystanders—people who live, work, go to school, or otherwise spend time near fields where soil fumigants are applied. It is important that bystanders stay out of buffer zones. When new fumigant labels with buffer zones appear in the marketplace in 2011, fumigant users will need to post buffer zones to ensure people know where they are and stay out.
Due to their volatile nature, soil fumigants have the potential to pose risk concerns to people involved in the application (handlers), workers who re-enter fumigated fields (workers), and people who may be near the treated area (bystanders). EPA’s Amended Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the fumigants chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium/potassium, and methyl bromide include a suite of measures designed to work together to reduce exposures, enhance safety, and facilitate compliance and enforcement. These measures include:
Current as of May 27, 2009
EPA is requiring important new safety measures for soil fumigant pesticides. This fact sheet summarizes new requirements for posting buffer zones around fumigated fields. Buffer zones will help protect agricultural workers and bystanders—people who live, work, go to school, or otherwise spend time near fields where soil fumigants are applied. It is important that bystanders stay out of buffer zones. When new fumigant labels with buffer zones appear in the marketplace in 2011, fumigant users will need to post buffer zones to ensure people know where they are and stay out.
Due to their volatile nature, soil fumigants have the potential to pose risk concerns to people involved in the application (handlers), workers who re-enter fumigated fields (workers), and people who may be near the treated area (bystanders). EPA’s Amended Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) for the fumigants chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium/potassium, and methyl bromide include a suite of measures designed to work together to reduce exposures, enhance safety, and facilitate compliance and enforcement. These measures include:
- worker protections
- fumigant management plans
- stewardship and training programs
- good agricultural practices
- buffer zones
- posting requirements
- emergency preparedness and response measures
