US EPA signs agreement to develop pesticide safety resources

The U.S. EPA has entered into a cooperative agreement, the “Pesticide Educational Resource Collaborative,” with the University of California Davis Extension (UC Davis) in partnership with Oregon State University to support the development of resources and materials on the safe use of pesticides by applicators and handlers in agricultural, commercial, and residential settings.
 

With the recently announced revisions to the Worker Protection Standard, it is necessary to update pesticide safety materials with the latest standards. This cooperative agreement will help meet a greater need for collaboration and resources because of revisions to the Worker Protection Standard and Certified Applicator regulations over the next five years. 
 

The cooperative agreement will result in a variety of updated and new materials for EPA’s stakeholders, including materials appropriate for low-literacy and multilingual audiences.  Materials could include brochures, factsheets, posters, videos, manuals, and mobile tools. EPA believes these materials will help prevent pesticide exposure incidents for pesticide applicators and handlers, workers, and their families.
 

The total funding for the resource project agreement is about $5 million, with about $1,220,000 available for the first year. The application solicitation for this agreement was announced in May 2015.