October 2025

New Study: Organophosphate use down 54% in CA, but exposure risk remains high for some

In Temporal trends of agricultural organophosphate pesticide use in CA and proximity to pregnant people in 2021, we found that organophosphate pesticide use dropped by 54% statewide after California banned the use of chlorpyrifos - but not every region benefitted equally:

The San Joaquin Valley, the largest user of chlorpyrifos, saw a 74% drop in total organophosphate use
In contrast, Monterey County and Santa Barbara County, reported an increase in total organophosphate use (+26% and +4%, respectively)

Our analysis also examined over 390,000 birth records to understand where pregnant people may be at greater risk to exposure. We found:

In 9 counties, more than 20% of pregnant people lived within 1km of organophosphate use
In Monterey County, 50% of pregnant people lived within 1km of organophosphate use
Statewide, pregnant Hispanic/Latine people were most likely to live near organophosphate pesticide use

The study was a collaboration between Tracking California, an independent public health consultant, and researchers from UC Berkeley and was made possible with Tracking California's pesticide linkage service.

Read the press release

In the News:

Explore the CHARM Lake County Roadmap

We've released the CHARM Lake County Roadmap to Resilience - the culmination of a planning and community data collection project that spotlights the specific needs and solutions for keeping the most vulnerable populations safe and healthy during climate-driven emergencies.

The Roadmap is designed to support those who serve Lake County including:

County and Tribal governments
Non-governmental organizations
Municipalities
Community organizations such as churches, schools, service groups

Explore the Roadmap

Learn more about CHARM Lake County

In the News:

New roadmap supports Lake County's at-risk populations during heat, algal blooms, natural hazards

Resilience in the Valley: Cooling, Connection, and Community

Are you involved in or considering developing a resilience hub in your community?

We're excited to announce the San Joaquin Valley Collaborative to Protect Vulnerable Workers and Families from Extreme Heat Events (SJV Heat) project - a new project between Tracking California, Roots of Change, Central California Environmental Justice Network, Terra Bella Union Elementary School District, and UC Berkeley.

The SJV Heat project will:

Build a school-based cooling center and resilience hub in Terra Bella
Provide farmworkers with cooling kits and heat safety training
Interview farmworkers to identify interventions for extreme heat
Establish a peer-to-peer learning community

The statewide learning community will launch in Spring 2026 to build connections, share best practices, and strengthen efforts to establish resilience hubs to protect vulnerable communities throughout CA from extreme heat.

We are looking for people to share their work and connect with others!

California Sickle Cell Data Collection (CA SCDC) Program has a new website & data dashboard

We're excited to announce the launch of our redesigned website + data dashboard!

Our updated site makes it easier to find:

Information about our program and information about sickle cell data we collect
Communication products
Tools and resources for healthcare providers advocates, and warriors
Ways to connect with our program

Explore CA SCDC's website + data dashboard

Reducing particle pollution using filters on swamp coolers: Results from the FRESSCA Study

The Filtration for Respiratory Exposure to wildfire Smoke from Swamp Cooler Air (FRESSCA) project, now concluded, found that using filters on swamp coolers, along with indoor air cleaners, can help improve indoor air quality.

However, long-term use of filters on swamp coolers can reduce their performance, so the FRESSCA team only recommends using filters on swamp coolers when air quality is poor.

These results were shared with study participants in the form of videos, individual results packets, and presentations at community meetings.

Learn more about the FRESSCA Study

FRESSCA Study Publications

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Tracking California is a program of the Public Health Institute in partnership with the California Department of Public Health. Tracking California is part of a national initiative coordinated by the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program.

This publication was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Number NUE1EH001489, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.