Environment DEC
From the March 2003 issue
Report on Statewide Pesticide Use Will Assist Research Community
A recent report issued by DEC provides valuable information on the amount and types of pesticides applied within the state during the year 2000. The Final Annual Report for New York State Pesticide Sales and Applications 2000 shows more than 5 million applications made by more than 19,000 pesticide applicators who used in excess of 17.8 million pounds and nearly 3 million gallons of pesticides. For the 1999 reporting year, 20.9 million pounds and almost 2.4 million gallons were reported as being applied.
"Compliance with the Pesticide Reporting Law is essential to our efforts to monitor the use of pesticides throughout New York State," DEC Commissioner Erin M. Crotty said. "The information we gather is used by the environmental and scientific communities and provides us with greater knowledge on the effects pesticides have on our natural resources. We will continue to work with pesticide applicators and distributors to ensure they comply with the reporting law and follow guidelines to protect the environment."
Obligations Under Law
Under the state's Pesticide Reporting Law, commercial pesticide applicators and sellers must provide DEC with detailed annual accounts of pesticide use and sales. Enforcement actions were taken against applicators who failed to submit required reports, and Orders on Consent were issued to about 2,500 certified commercial pesticide applicators and permit holders who did not initially report for 2000.
Applicators and distributors who did not file reports were assessed civil penalties, and some applicators voluntarily surrendered their certifications. Those who did not settle the violation had their certification, business registration or commercial permit revoked.
Most Common Pesticides
Do commonly used pesticides
contaminate our well water?
According to the 2000 edition of the report, the most commonly applied pesticides were Demon TC Insecticide/Miticide, totaling 556,812 gallons and Lesco Pre-M Plus Fertilizer, totaling 1,739,228 pounds. Lesco Pre-M Plus Fertilizer contains a small amount of pesticide combined with a large amount of fertilizer and other ingredients. The weights reported include all ingredients, not just the weight of pesticide alone.
The database, from which the annual report is derived, was developed by DEC and Cornell University. It contains information on tens of millions of applications and sales beginning in 1997. Each year, after applicator reports are submitted, DEC and Cornell perform quality validations to ensure an accurate depiction of pesticide use. To this end, validations continue on the 2000 data. Interested parties should visit DEC's web page on the Pesticide Reporting Law for current information and to see the 2000 final report.
