Committee backs amended pesticide restriction after health concerns over Telone use

The committee approved HB1880, which begins to restrict the use or application of pesticidal products containing 1,3‑dichloropropene (commonly known by trade names such as Telone), with amendments and an amended effective date for further deliberation.

Annie Frederick of Alliance for Progressive Action summarized an analysis of restricted‑use pesticide (RUP) reporting data and GIS mapping since 2019 showing that fumigants, particularly 1,3‑dichloropropene, are concentrated in a small number of heavy users and in particular areas between Waialua and Wahiawa on Oahu. "What we have found... is that fumigants are consistently the most heavily applied, and specifically, the active ingredient in Telone (1,3‑dichloropropene) is the most heavily applied RUP across the state," Frederick said in testimony urging the committee to ban the chemical to protect public health.

Health risks cited included acute respiratory effects and long‑term cancer concerns, referencing California's Proposition 65 listings and studies showing that fumigant drift can carry small but harmful amounts miles off site. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity stood on written testimony and was available for questions; Hawaii Farm Bureau filed written opposition.

Committee members debated agricultural alternatives such as crop rotation and conservation practices; Hunter Heblin of the Hawaii Farmers Union said crop rotation and agroecological methods can reduce pest pressure but that production systems and economies of scale shape pest‑management choices.

The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass HB1880 with amendments and to set an amended effective date for further discussion. The committee recorded no recorded nays during the roll call and moved the measure forward.