The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) announced Monday that 13 pesticide drift complaints have been made to WSDA so far this year, including nine cases in which two or more people may have been exposed. All are currently under investigation.
The Yakima Herald reported that a WSDA spokesman said many of the cases were in commercial fruit production areas, with the highest number of cases in Grant and Chelan counties. Wenatchee, the Chelan County seat, is home to the headquarters of the Washington Apple Commission, among other fruit industry groups. The Agriculture Department is only investigating one case in Yakima, an even larger fruit production region, the newspaper reported.
Last year, WSDA’s Pesticide Management Division received more than 150 complaints regarding alleged violations of the state’s pesticide laws, about half of them involving allegations that pesticides being applied in agriculture settings had drifted onto neighboring property.
In announcing the statistics in a news release, the WSDA said it would like to remind pesticide applicators of their responsibility to ensure pesticides do not drift off-target and offer suggestions on how to reduce the risk. To ensure that pesticides do not drift beyond the intended treatment area, pesticide applicators must:
■ Read the label on the pesticides being applied and abide by all precautions and restrictions on safe handling, necessary protective equipment, buffers, the effect on crops and more.
■ Be especially diligent near sensitive areas such as highways, homes, schools and other occupied dwellings or where workers are present.
■ Properly calibrate equipment, using the proper nozzles and pressure to keep the spray on-target.
■ Scout the areas bordering the area being treated.
■ Evaluate conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, and temperature.
■ Halt the application if conditions change such that the risk of drift rises to an unsafe level or if anyone approaches the area without proper protection.
Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture