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Commission adopts 2024 reduced-risk pesticide list for city properties
Summary
The commission approved updates to San Francisco's 2024 Reduced Risk Pesticide List after a presentation by IPM program manager Dr. Shoba Iyer, who reported long-term drops in tier 1 pesticide use, described additions and removals, and highlighted a $320,000 Alliance grant for pest-proofing affordable housing.
Dr. Shoba Iyer, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program manager at San Francisco Environment, presented the annual review of the Reduced Risk Pesticide List (RRPL) and asked the commission to adopt the 2024 updates for use on city properties.
Iyer described the IPM program as a harm-reduction strategy that combines landscape and structure management, training, alternatives analyses, and use of the precautionary principle. She reviewed data trends for 2010'23 showing a steep decline in tier 1 pesticide use (the presentation referenced figures including a 93.8% drop in tier 1 herbicide use from 2010 to 2023 and slides citing 97.9% and 97.3% reductions since 2010) and explained that increasing use of lower-hazard tier 3 products can accompany reductions in tier 1 use because larger volumes of safer products are sometimes needed as replacements.
Iyer summarized proposed RRPL changes: add one tier 2 herbicide for vegetation management and one tier 3 insecticide formulation to replace an unavailable product; remove one tier 1 fungicide for golf-course use (no longer manufactured), three tier 2 products and one tier 3 product no longer used or stocked, and clarifications and corrections to product names, EPA registration numbers, ingredients, and use instructions for 16 products. She also described a roughly $320,000 California Department of Pesticide Regulation Alliance grant to support pest-proofing work in affordable housing, reporting more than 1,200 unit-to-unit pest-proofing inspections across 10 properties to date.
Commissioner Hunter and others praised the program and asked whether staff had considered establishing guardrails or caps for tier 1 pesticide use and for updates on alternatives for products marked priority. Iyer said staff will analyze where tier 1 pesticides are used and evaluate feasibility of thresholds and alternative options.
Commissioner Vermejo moved to approve the resolution adopting the 2024 RRPL; Commissioner Hunter seconded and the motion passed by roll call.
Ending: The commission approved the updated list; staff will continue toxicological reviews, database updates and community engagement, and monitor progress on alternatives for priority products.
