## C O N S E R V A T I O N 

## M A N A G E M E N T 

## P R A C T I C E S 

## G U I D E 

## : R E D U C I N G 

## V O L A T I L E 

## O R G A N I C 

## C O M P O U N D 

## ( V O C ) E M I S S I O N S 

## F R O M 

## A G R I C U L T U R A L 

## P E S T I C I D E 

## A P P L I C A T I O N S

## Bac kgr ound

What are v olatile or ganic compounds (VOCs)?

V OCs are g ases that can combine with nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the air to form ground-lev el ozone (smog). Ozone can damage lung tissue, cause respiratory illness, and harm f arm crops. V ehicle

e xhaust and industrial operations are V OC sources, as are thousands of products. The acti v e and other ingredients in many pesticide products contain V OCs.



### Ho w is Calif ornia reducing VOCs?

Under the U.S. Clean Air Act, each state must meet federal air quality standards. States must specify their plans to meet these standards in a federally appro v ed “State Implementation Plan” (SIP). Areas that do not meet ai r quality standards under the SIP are called non-attainment

areas (N AA). California has fi v e N AAs for ozone pollution: Sacramento Metro, San Joaquin V

alle y , Southeast Desert, South Coast, and V entura. Under California’ s SIP
, the Department of Pesticide Re gulation (DP R) must track and control V OC emissions from pesticide products used in agriculture and by commercial structural applicators in N AAs. Currently
, DPR limits V OC emissions by re gulating field soil fumig ations.



### What about non-fumigant pesticides?

In the San Joaquin V alle y , non-fumig ants contrib ute roughly 65% of the total V OC emissions from pesticide products

. The V OC emission potential of non-fumig ant pesticides is heavily dependent

on their formulation. Products formulated as emulsifiable concentrates typicall y contain solv ents and tend to hav e the highest emissions, while solid formulations hav e the lo west emissions. DPR is w orking with pesticide manuf acturers to reformulate products with high V OC emissions. The Department has also sponsored uni v ersity research into insecticides with lo w V OC emissio ns and is promoting cleaner
, more ef ficient application technologies.



## What Can Gr o wer s Do?

Minimiz e VOC emissions fr om fumigant sour ces First, determine which soil pests are prese nt and whether fumig ation treatments are necessary

. Applicators must follo w DPR’ s restrictions for field fumig ant applications in an N AA. By doing this, the applicator can be assured that the y are using fumig ants in a manner that will minimize V OC emi ssions and comply with re gulations. V OC emissions v ary with fumig ant and fumig ation method. DPR has assigned emission ratings to dif ferent fumig ant and fumig ation method combinations. Certain lo w-emission fumig ation methods must be used in N AAs during the peak

ozone season (May 1 through October 31). In some cases, gro wers and applicators hav e a choice of sev eral lo w-emission methods. Selecting the fumig ation method with the lo west emission rating feasible will achiev e the greatest V OC reductions. More information on DPR’ s fumig ant

re gulations can be found at the V OC reduction web page: http:// www .cdpr .ca.go v/docs/ emon/ vocs/ vocpr oj/ r e

g fumigant.htm

.Pheromone tr aps can be used to monitor pest populations

. 

### Adopt more integrated pest mana g ement (IPM) practices

IPM programs incorporate v arious reduced risk pest management practices such as co v er -cropping, crop rotation, insect baiting, pest e xclusion, sanitation, use of pest-resistant or tolerant culti v ars and rootstocks, release of natural enemies, and mating disruption using pheromones. A properly designed IPM program ca n help reduce the number of applications of V OC-emitting pesticides.

Some specific e xamples of IPM practices that can reduce the number of pesticide applications include:

� Proper scientific monitoring for pests to prev ent unneeded pesticide applications,

� Crop sanitation to remo v e o v erwinter

ing sites and shelter for pests, such

as post-harv est remo v al of unharv ested nuts in almond orchards,

� Pro viding habitat for beneficial insects to he lp keep pest populations belo w economic injury thresholds.
Implementing an IPM program in your field or orchard can help reduce air pollution in tw o w ays. By using non-chemical management practices, the o v erall amount of pesticides applied can be reduced. In addition, fe wer pesticide applications means less diesel fuel used by the application equipment, thus reducing V OC and NOx emissions, particulate emissions, and dust. When making pest management decisions, remember that practi ces that require b urning foss il fuels will increase air pollution.

F or more information on IPM practices that are applicable to your particular croppi ng system, please visit the UC State wide IPM Program W ebsite at http:// www .ipm.ucdavis.edu

.


### Reduce amount of pesticides applied

Practices that reduce the o v erall amount of pesticides applied may also reduce V OC emissions. If you can reduce either the treated acreage or number of applications, you can reduce V OC emissions from both the pesticide products used and the e xhaust from the application equipment. Such practices can hav e other benefits as well, including cost savings, reduced fuel use, and reduced soil compaction. Spot -treating for pest problems, when appropri ate, is one option. Remote sensing of pest populations and use of target-sensing application equipment can help reduce pesticide use by ensuring that products are only applied where needed. These practices can also help reduce of

f-site pesticide mo v ement.

### Consider alternative pesticide f orm ulations

Products formu lated as emulsifiabl e concentrates (ECs) hav e the highest V OC emissions of the

v arious liquid formulations. This is primarily due to the solv ents and other ingredients in these products. Solid formulations, such as granules or wettable po wders, hav e much lo wer V OC emission rates. T able 1 sho ws the reduction in V OC emissi ons that can be made by switching from ECs to other formulations. When selecting a pesticide for application
, consider the potential for V OC emissions as well

as ef ficac y , economics, and other environmental f actors.



### Make applications bef ore Ma y or after October

Peak ozone season in Cal ifornia runs from May 1 through October 31. It is most important to reduce V OC emissions during this period. While pest pressure may prev ent pesticide applications from being shifted, some application dates may be fle xible. In some w ays, shifting applications outside the May-October windo w
can be more ef fecti v e in reducing ozone pollution from V OC emissions than changing formulations, or other reduction options. T

arget-sensing application equipment can reduce pesticide use without sacr ificing efficacy

.

Pr oduct Form ulation Application rate VOC emissions Lorsban 4E Em ulsifiab le conc. 4 pints/acre 229 pounds Lorsban Adv anced Other (Liquid) 4 pints/acre 86 pounds Goal 2XL Em ulsifiab le conc. 5 pints/acre 350 pounds Goaltender Flo w ab le concentr ate 3 pints/acre 18 pounds

T

ab le 1. V OC emissions f or a selected insecticide and herbicide

. Calculations are based on a 100-acre non-dor mant application in almonds using high label r ates

.



## Ho w Can I Calculate My VOC Emissions?
Non-fumigants

DPR has dev eloped a V OC emissions calculator for non-fumig ant pesticide applications. The calculator allo ws the user to enter product information and application rates for multiple products and obtain potential V OC emissions for the applicatio n scenario. This is a W eb-based tool, and should w ork with most popular bro wsers such as Firefox and Internet Explorer

. The calculator can be accessed at http:// apps.cdpr .ca.go v/ voc- calculator

.

### Fumigants

DPR has posted a V OC emissions calculator for fumi g ants at http:// www .cdpr .ca.go v/docs/ emon/ vocs/ vocpr oj/ calculate .htm

. Y ou will need Microsoft Excel (v ersion 2000 or later) installed on your computer to use this tool.



## Where Can I Find More Inf ormation?

Go vernment a g encies:

� U .S. Envir onmental Pr otection Ag ency: http:// www .epa.go v

� California Department of P esticide Regulation (DPR): http:// www .cdpr .ca.go v DPR i s responsible for tracking pesticide V OC emissions and, if necessary , implementing

re gulatory requirements to reduce emissions. DPR tracks emissions and dev elops the requirements based on data pro vided by re gistrants and others. Extensi v e information on V OC emissions and re gulatory requirements are av ailable from DPR’ s W eb site.

� California Air Resour ces Boar d (ARB): http:// www .arb.ca.go v ARB protects public health and welf are and ecological resourc es through the ef fecti v e and ef

ficient reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering the ef fects on the economy of the state. ARB o v ersees all air pollution control ef forts in California, including the acti vities of local air districts. ARB and local air districts re gulate most sources of air pollutants, such as v ehicles, consumer products, b usinesses, and industry

. ARB conducts research, maintains emission in v entories, monitors and models air pollutant lev els, and implements v oluntary and re gulatory measures to reduce air pollutants, including V OCs.

� Natur al Resour ces Conservation Service (NRCS): http:// www .ca.nr cs.usda.go v NRCS, formerly kno wn as the Soil Conserv ation Service, is a branch of the U.S. Department of Agric ulture that w ork s with f armer s, ranchers, and others to impro v e en vironmental ste w ardship on pri v ate lands. NRCS pro vides technical and financial assi stance to dev elop and implement conserv ation acti vities. In California, there are special programs designed to help producers address pesticide and air quality concerns, including reducing pesticide V OC emissions. P articipation in NRCS programs is v oluntary

. Please contact your local NRCS of

fice for additional information.

� County Agricultur al Commissioner s: Agricultural Commissioners promote and protect the agricultural industry
, en vironmental quality
, and the public welf are in the state of California. In their respecti v e counties, the y carry out state pesticide laws and re gulations and enforce local ordinances. By doing so, the y protect the community and the en vironment from harm caused by inappropriate or ille g al use of pesticides. The y also assist in dev eloping and implementing pesticide re gulations such as those that will reduce the emissions of V OCs from appropriate pesticide usage. Please contact your local Agricultural Commissioner’ s of

fice for information in your specific county

. Contact information for each county can be found at http:// www .cdfa.ca.go v/ e xec/ county/ County Contacts.html

.

### Univer sity of Calif ornia:

� Univer sity of California State wide IPM Pr o gr am: http:// www .ipm.ucdavis.edu The UC IPM Online W ebsite contains many v aluable pe st management resources to help reduce V OC emissions. These include pest management guidelines, seasonal guides, identification ke ys, de gree-day and disease models, and access to UC IPM publications.

� UC Cooper ative Extension: http:// ucanr .or g UC Cooperati v e Extension (UCCE) w orks to enhance California’ s agricultural producti vity and competiti v eness. County-based f arm advisors collaborate with campus-based UCCE specialists and agriculture e xperiment station scientists to research, adapt, and field test agricultural impro v ements or solutions and promote the use of research findings.



### Local or ganizations:

� Resour ce Conservation Districts (RC Ds) are special districts set up under California law to be locally go v erned agencies with locally appointed, independent boards of directors. The y
are empo wered to conserv e resources by implementing projects on public and pri v ate lands and educating lando wners and the public about resource conserv ation. RCDs remain one of the primary links between local citizens and go v ernment agencies on issues related to

conserv ation. Due to their unique role in their communities, RCDs are an important tool for educating, coordinating, and w orking with producers, agencies, org anizations, and the public on local conserv ation ef forts. An important element of this ef fort is their commitment to reducing V OC emissi ons from agricultural practices. Contact information for RCDs can be found on the California Association of Resource Conserv ation Districts W eb site, located at http:// www .car cd.or g

.


### Outreac h e vents:

� P est Mana g ement Alliances (PMAs) are DPR-funded public/pri v ate partnerships dedicated to the demonstration of en vironmentally responsible pest management practices to manage economic pests in a range of dif ferent crops. PMA priorities include IPM, reductions in the use of pesticides that are of concern for human health or are found in air or
w ater, and reduction of V OC emissions. PMAs often hold field days to discuss important pest management practices and demonstrate ne w field equipment technologies. F or more information on PMA acti vities, contact DPR or a local commodity group representati v e.



### Financial assistance:

� The En vironmental Quality Incenti v es Program (EQIP) is a v oluntary conserv ation program administered by NRCS. It pro vides technical and cost-share support to assist f armers and ranchers address natural resource concerns, including V OC emission reduction. Applications for EQIP are accepted throughout the year

. F or more informati on on eligible practices and program requirements, please contact your local NRCS of fice.� The ARB admini sters the Carl Mo yer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, which pro vides incenti v e grants for cleaner -than-required engines, equipment and other

sources of pollution pro viding early or e xtra emission reductions. The program achiev es
near -term reductions in emissions of NOx, particulate matter (PM), and V OCs, helping California meet its clean air commitments under the State Implementation Plan. NOx and V OCs combine in the presence of sunlight to form ground-lev el ozone, while PM, a component of diesel e xhaust, has been identified as a toxic air cont aminant by ARB. F or
more information, visit ARB’ s W eb site at http:// www .arb.ca.go v/mspr o g/moyer/moyer .htm

.

� U.S. EP A Re gion 9 pro vides grants to support agricultural projects for education, e xtension, demonstration, and implementation of IPM practices to reduce en vironmental pollution from

use of pesticides. More information can be found at http:// www .epa.go v/ r egion09/ funding/ funding- sour ces/ inde x.html

.



## Ac kno wledgments

Funding for this guide w as pro vided by the U.S. En vironmental Protection Agenc y as part of the Pesticide Re gistration Impro v ement Rene w al Act grant program.
DPR w ould like to thank the follo wing for their participation in dev eloping this document:

� Almond Board of California

� California T ree Fruit Agreement

� California W alnut Board

� Community Alliance with F amily F armers
� East Merced Resource Conserv ation District

� East Stanislaus Resource Conserv ation District

� Natural Resources Conserv ation Service

� San Joaquin County Resource Conserv ation District

� Stanislaus County Department of Agriculture

� Stanislaus County F arm Bureau

� SureHarv est

� Uni v ersity of California Cooperati v e Extension

� Uni v ersity of California State wide IPM Program

� W est Stanislaus Resource Conserv ation District

Photographs pro vided courtesy of UC State wide IPM Program and DPR.Published by **Calif or**  **nia Department**  **of P**  **esticide Regulation**  1001 I Street P

.O. Box 4015 Sacramento, CA 95812–4015 Phone: 916.445.3914

www .cdpr .ca.go v

The mention within this document of commer cial pr oducts, their sour ces, or their use is not to be construed

as either an actual or implied endor sement. Mention is made of some r epr esentative pr oducts, b ut the Department of P esticide Regulation does not r eco gnize any pr oduct as superior to any other

.

– February 2010 –