Better Coordination Is Needed Between Pesticide Misuse Enforcement Programs and Programs for Certifying and Training Individuals To Apply Pesticides

Gao ID: RCED-83-169 July 1, 1983

GAO reviewed programs in Illinois and Minnesota under the Pesticide Applicator Certification and Training Program to determine whether they are addressing major pesticide misuse problems.

GAO found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Illinois, and Minnesota have not linked the certification and training and enforcement programs to deter and reduce pesticide misuse. The review of programs, to certify individuals as competent to use pesticides, indicates that information on pesticide misuse is not routinely and systematically developed or used, even though the data are collected and maintained by the states as part of their pesticide enforcement efforts. Further, EPA evaluations of state programs have not addressed qualitative program elements, but have concentrated on quantitative program outputs. GAO noted that EPA has neither developed criteria for evaluating test criteria nor, within 7 years, conducted in-depth test reviews. Finally, GAO found that the Illinois and Minnesota pesticide commercial examinations did not meet all federal certification requirements.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Hugh J. Wessinger Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 275-5489


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