California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued a proposed decision to register methyl iodide—a cancer-causing, highly toxic fumigant—for use in agriculture. Though many pesticides are dangerous, methyl iodide would be one of the most toxic pesticides ever approved for use in the state.

Methyl Iodide would put farmworkers and rural communities at risk for serious health problems, especially those in the strawberry-growing areas of California where methyl iodide would primarily be used.

 On April 26, 2010 CPR published a report Profiles of Poison: Survivors of Pesticide Poisoning Say No to Methyl Iodide.  Through this report, nine victims of pesticide poisoning share their stories and issue a call to DPR and the Governor: Don't register this new poison for use in California!

Learn more about methyl iodide. Download an English/Spanish bilingual factsheet.

DPR is expected to make a final decision about methyl iodide any day now.  Take action now to help keep methyl iodide out of California!

1. Call California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today!

Call (916) 445-2841 and tell the Governor NOT to register methyl iodide.

Sample phone script:

"Hello, My name is [your name] and I live in [your city]. I am calling to ask the Governor to prohibit the dangerous pesticide methyl iodide from being used in California.  Methyl iodide is a carcinogen that has been deemed by scientists to be harmful to human health and extremely hard to regulate adequately.  Keeping the Department of Pesticide Regulation from registering methyl iodide is critical.  Do not allow Californians to be exposed to this toxic chemical. Thank you."

2. Write a comment to DPR asking that they not finalize methyl iodide’s registration.

Sample email comment:

Dear Ms. Warmerdam,

I am appalled by your department’s proposal to register the toxic chemical methyl iodide for use as a fumigant in California.  Methyl iodide is a known carcinogen, neurotoxin and thyroid disrupter.  It affects the nervous system, the lungs, liver and kidneys, and could be especially damaging to the developing brains of children and fetuses.  It also has been shown to cause late-term miscarriages in experimental animals and is used in laboratories to induce cancer for scientific research.

Even with the regulations your department has proposed, the use of methyl iodide would be putting farmworkers and rural communities at risk for serious health problems, especially those in the strawberry-growing areas of California where methyl iodide would primarily be used.

Your own scientific review committee has concluded that methyl iodide is so toxic any agricultural use, “would result in exposures to a large number of the public and thus would have a significant adverse impact on the public health,” adding that, “adequate control of human exposure would be difficult, if not impossible.”

Approving the registration of methyl iodide would be a mistake for California.  As your mission states, you are obliged “to protect human health and the environment,” and allowing the use of methyl iodide would be in direct conflict with this obligation.

I would like to register my opposition to the approval of methyl iodide and urge you and the DPR to withdraw your proposal to register it for agricultural use.

Sincerely,
[your name]

For more information and to get involved, please contact:
Tracey Brieger at Californians for Pesticide Reform
Phone: (415) 981-3939 ext. 6 or call toll free in California: (888) CPR-4880