EPA Tests Tough 'Drift' Regs
by Micheal D. K. Owen
October 11, 2001 -  This report by Gordon Carlson, Doane Washington Bureau Editor indicates that application standards for drift management will be increased considerably for next spring.  It appears that the EPA is advocating zero tolerance drift management.  While pesticide drift has been an important issue in Iowa, these changes will elevate the importance of proper and careful application procedures for the future. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA) (http://www.epa.gov) has proposed label statements for pesticide products that address spray drift policies that could prove troublesome for agricultural retailers, applicators and producers.  The EPA's proposed label statements, in all practicality, can be interpreted to be zero tolerance for drift. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFB) (http://www.fb.com) officials say that while a zero tolerance for humans is implied in worker protection standards, this increases the standard for environmental areas from the current Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act standard of "no unreasonable adverse effect." 

The proposed changes to label statements include the following phrase: "Do not allow spray to drift from the application site and contact people, structures people occupy at any time, non-target property on which those structures are located, animals, non-target crops, parks and recreation areas, aquatic and wetland areas, forests, pastures, and rangelands."  

Also, the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) (http://www.ifca.com) called the notice's implications "serious" and noted the proposed language would prohibit spray application if winds exceed 10 miles-per-hour. Language as broad as that being proposed "could severely impede our ability to judiciously apply agrichemicals and provide even more incentives for civil lawsuits against applicators," said the IFCA.

While the EPA notice recognizes that some level of drift can occur from applications, the agency contends that its position will not have an undue impact on agriculture or other uses of pesticides. EPA also says that, although some enforcement authorities may be unable to determine whether an applicator followed certain specific application requirements, the agency believes the potential reduction in risk generally outweighs these concerns.

The EPA notice applies to all pesticide products used as spray or dust, including agriculture, home and garden products. The EPA is requesting public comments on the draft notice, and comments are due by Nov. 20.  The notice can be found on the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/opppmsd1/PR_Notices/prdraft-spraydrift801.htm) web site.

Prepared by Micheal D. K. Owen, extension weed management specialist, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University