Welcome to the Department of Pesticide Regulation

Toxic Air Contaminant Program

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California’s Toxic Air Contaminant Act created the statutory framework for the evaluation and control of chemicals as toxic air contaminants (TACs). The statute defines TACs as air pollutants that may cause or contribute to increases in serious illness or death, or that may pose a present or potential hazard to human health. The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is responsible for the evaluation of pesticides as TACs. In general, the law focuses on the evaluation and control of pesticides in ambient community air. In implementing the law, DPR must: 1) conduct a review of the physical properties, environmental fate and human health effects of the candidate pesticide; 2) determine the levels of human exposure in the environment; and 3) estimate the potential human health risk from those exposures. DPR’s evaluation report undergoes review by other government agencies, the public, and a Scientific Review Panel. The law requires DPR to designate in regulation those pesticides that meet the criteria to be TACs. DPR must then determine and implement the appropriate degree of control measures for the pesticide.

  • Background Information: description of TAC program, laws and regulations, and fact sheets
  • Summary of Current Activities: status of current monitoring, evaluation/risk assessment, and control/risk management
  • Monitoring: plans and reports of air monitoring for candidate and designated toxic air contaminants
  • Evaluation (Risk Assessment): information on health effects and exposure of toxic air contaminants
  • Scientific Review Panel (SRP): group charged with evaluating the risk assessments of substances proposed for designation as toxic air contaminants by the Air Resources Board (ARB) and DPR
  • Control (Risk Management): list of toxic air contaminants and information on measures to mitigate exposure
  • Air Quality Initiative
  • Links
  • E-Mail Updates
    Anyone with e-mail capability can subscribe to free, automatic e-mail delivery of updated messages and announcements related to the Toxic Air Contaminant Program. These messages are issued periodically by DPR and include announcements of the availability of reports, public comment periods, upcoming SRP meetings, and other activities.
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For content questions, contact:
Randy Segawa
Phone: (916) 324-4137
E-mail: rsegawa@cdpr.ca.gov