The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) collects data on the pesticide use volume, pesticide-related illnesses, pesticide residues in fresh produce, and pesticides found in drinking water wells.

Fieldworker illnesses directly related to pesticide exposure are decreasing.

The number of cases has decreased from 111 in 1987 to 12 in 1993, almost a 10-fold decrease. This decrease can be attributed to increased pesticide reentry intervals and regulatory modifications to address specific problem chemicals.

Illegal levels of pesticide residues in fresh produce are very low.

The amount of produce with illegal residues is typically about one per cent of that sampled each year. Followup investigations are performed by either state or federal officials.

Rice herbicide levels in the Sacramento River have been greatly reduced.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation has worked closely with rice growers to reduce levels of molinate in the Sacramento River. This has reduced the pesticide levels in the river by 99.5 per cent. Similar results were obtained for thiobencarb.

The number of new pesticides found in well water is very low.

Pesticides are monitored in ground water each year by DPR scientists, but few new pesticides are found.