SB 1411 (Jackson) Fact Sheet 04/16/14
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SB 1411 (Jackson) Fact Sheet · 04/16/14
SUMMARY
SB 1411 seeks to prevent pesticide exposure and its adverse effects among agricultural workers, children and vulnerable populations, including minority and low-income communities.
This bill requires pesticide applicators to notify nearby residents and schools of impending pesticide applications, authorizes county agricultural commissioners to enact buffer zones for entire classes of harmful pesticides around schools and requires pesticide application posting signs to include the date and time when workers can safely re-enter fields.
BACKGROUND
In adults, chronic long-term health effects of exposure to certain pesticides can cause cancer, damage to the brain, nervous system, liver kidneys, lungs and other body organs.
Studies have linked pesticide exposure to leukemia, lymphoma and cancers of the brain, breasts, prostate, testis and ovaries. Reproductive harm from pesticides includes birth defects, still birth, spontaneous abortion, sterility and infertility, and other reproductive problems.
Existing law allows county agricultural commissioners to regulate pesticide applications in buffer zones around schools. Existing law also allows schools to notify parents of pesticide applications on school sites. However, pesticide applicators are not required to notify nearby residences, schools, hospitals, or other affected parties prior to pesticide applications in other situations.
Furthermore, existing law also requires that pesticide applicators notify the county ag commissioner within 48 hours when applying certain pesticides, and to post signs at the edge of fields indicating when certain pesticides have been applied.
PROBLEM
In California, between 2003 and 2012, over 800 people were known to be sickened by exposure to soil fumigants in 28 separate incidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed reports of pesticide-related illness at schools and concluded that pesticide drift from adjacent farmland was contributing to pesticide-related illnesses in children.
In one Kern County pesticide drift incident, neither community residents who initially became ill, nor emergency responders knew the source of illness because there had been no prior notification. As a result, the application continued, and more than 150 additional people became ill.
Parents, teachers, school staff, and surrounding communities do not know if a pesticide application is going to take place outside a home or school. Notification could help prevent children’s exposure, especially important to asthmatic children.
Since most field posting signs lack an expiration date and time, the signs are not effective at preventing unsafe early entry into fields. Farmworkers and crew bosses frequently have difficulty determining whether it is safe to enter a field because signage is undated and it is unclear whenthe warning was issues, if at all.
SOLUTION
SB 1411 would require better notification and exposure protections for children and workers who live and work in or around application sites.
· Notification of Surrounding Communities - Require pesticide applicators to notify schools and residences that are within 1200 feet of the application zone or required buffer zone of the planned pesticide application for higher toxicity pesticides applied as fumigants, by plane or other hard to control methods.
· Authority to Regulate Whole Classes of Pesticides in Buffer Zones – SB 1411 would authorize a county agricultural commissioner to adopt regulations on the use of whole classes of pesticides within ¼ mile radius of a school.
· Post Date When It is Safe for Workers to Return to Work- Require existing posting signs, which are used to warn workers that a restricted entry interval is in effect, to include the date and the time when re-entry is allowed and other relevant information related to the safety of the application.
SUPPORT
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (sponsor)
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council (sponsor)
ACCESS Women’s Health Justice
ACT for Women and Girls
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles
Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County
Black Women for Wellness
California Environmental Health Initiative
California Immigrant Policy Center
California Institute for Rural Studies
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice
California Partnership
Californians for Pesticide Reform
Cal-Islanders Humanitarian ssociation
Central Valley Partnership for Citizenship
Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno – Fresno
Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno – Greenfield
Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno – Los Angeles
The City and Mayor of Patterson
Clean Water Action
Clinica Msr. Oscar A. Romero
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Communities for a New California
Community Action To Fight Asthma
Committee for a Better Shafter (CBS)
The Council of Mexican Federations
Delano Guardians
Earth Mama Healing
El Quinto Sol
Farmworker Justice
Fresno Center for New Americans
Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries
Friends of the Earth
Food and Water Watch
Guam Communications Network
Global Community Monitor (GCM)
Greenfield Walking Group of Bakersfield
Having Our Say Coalition
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
LabelGMOs.org
Libreria del Pueblo
Madera Coalition
Madera Coalition For Community Justice
Marin Beyond Pesticides Coalition
Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition
Mid-City CAN
Pacific Islander Cancer Survivors Network
Pesticide Action Network
Physicians for Social Responsibility – Sacramento
Physicians for Social Responsibility – Bay Area Chapter
Planned Parenthood of San Luis Obispo
Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara
Planned Parenthood of Ventura
Regional Asthma Management & Prevention (RAMP)
Roots Community Health Center/Roots Community Health
Alliance
Rural Communities Resource Center of Otosi
Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network
The Sierra Club of California
South Asian Network
SSG/Pals for Health
Street Level Health Project
Teens Turning Green
United for Change in Tooleville
United Farm Workers (UFW)
United Taxi Workers of San Diego
Vision y Compromiso
WorkSafe
Young Invincibles
OPPOSITION
California Farm Bureau
California Association of County Agricultural Commisioners and Sealers
CONTACT
Myriam Valdez
(916) 651-4019
SB 1411 (Jackson) Fact Sheet · 04/16/14