The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the release of interim guidance and additional resources to support the implementation of the final rule for the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ).
The AEZ is a crucial safety measure that protects workers and bystanders from pesticide exposure during outdoor applications. This area surrounds the application
equipment and moves with it during use. It can extend beyond the boundaries of an agricultural establishment, including areas like school grounds or residential neighborhoods.
What is exactly the EPA’s Final AEZ Rule?
The Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) is a safety feature in the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) that provides a buffer zone around pesticide application equipment to protect workers and bystanders from exposure. The AEZ can expand beyond agricultural operations to include residential areas. Recent modifications to the AEZ rule improve these safeguards by increasing the zone’s size and breadth, requiring applicators to halt activities if persons are present in the AEZ, regardless of property borders. The updated rule aims to limit pesticide exposure, improve worker health, and protect communities. In 2023, the EPA proposed a regulation to reinstate and enhance the 2015 AEZ rules, which was finalized in October 2024.
The Scoop on the Final Rule and Interim Guidance
- The final regulation strengthens safeguards for farmworkers, their families, and adjacent communities by extending the AEZ to workers outside the agricultural institution.
- The interim guideline explains how to comply with AEZs that extend off-property, calculate the necessary size depending on droplet size, and recognise exemptions for immediate family members.
- The EPA invites input on the interim guidance and recommendations for additional resources.
Why the EPA’s Final AEZ Rule is a Game-Changer?
- Reduced pesticide exposure among farmworkers and adjacent populations
- Improved employee health, resulting in lower missed pay, medical expenses, and work/school absences.
- Improved understanding of AEZ standards for applicators and agricultural facilities.
The EPA is dedicated to safeguarding the health and safety of agricultural workers, their families, and the general public from pesticide exposure.
