PINE ISLAND – The US EPA will implement new, stronger protections
for farmworkers and pesticide handlers, next January, announced Regional
EPA Director Judith Enck.
The new minimum age for pesticide handlers has been established at 18
years of age; previously there was no minimum wage.
Annual mandatory training on protecting oneself will be increased from
once every five years to annually; and farmworkers will now be trained
on safety before going out into the field for work.
Outspoken Pine Island onion farmer Christopher Pawelski takes exception
with some of the new policies.
“I understand the principle of it and support the principle of many
of it. The only thing that bothers me is some of the comments made in
the press release by Enck gives the impression that somehow workers are
being willy-nilly exposed across the board to pesticides while that is
simply not true,” he said.
Pawelski said none of his farmworkers mix or handle pesticides, but
his father, brother and sons mix and spread them.
Among the other new rules include improved training and communication
of information related to the application of hazardous materials at farms.
