The Price of Produce: A Socio-Environmental Analysis on the Implications of Methyl Bromide and 1,3-Dichloropropene in California's Central Valley

Abstract

Inequity reveals itself in the five senses. The fumes of fresh pesticides burning nose hairs, red blistering skin from not wearing enough PPE at work, the sound of constant trucks rolling by, the feeling of worry settling in, while you see the clouds of dust skipping in your direction. Is it normal or have you just gotten used to it? There is comfort in familiarity and for areas such as the San Joaquin Valley, there are consistent exploitations of labor, resources, and goods. Cities in the Central Valley hold the top ranking for cities with the worst air quality in the U.S. yet contribute 25 percent of the nations food supply. Through examining five different concentrations of chemicals gathered from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation: Air Monitoring Network, the goal is to understand how (or if) the trends of pesticide exposure in the past fifteen years reflect a pattern of slow violence. The main trade off analyzed is the transition from Methyl Bromide- a highly toxic that has the potential to cause neurological damage- to the carcinogen, 1,3-Dichloropropepe. Seasonal and temporal trends are examined using a variety of plots to compare possible health effects and potentials of cumulative impacts. This data was chosen to be gathered from the Shafter monitoring site because Kern County has already been identified as a disadvantaged community by the state of California. Ultimately, results show that there are consistent trends of overexposure that has dated back multiple years. While this is a result of structural inequities, implementations of environment justice frameworks have the potential to be transformative for pesticide reform.