How to Report a Pesticide Incident Involving Exposures to People

If you are currently suffering from the effects of a pesticide-related incident, please obtain immediate care by going to the nearest Emergency Room or consult EPA’s Emergency Information webpage before reporting the incident.

There are several ways to report an incident:

1. If you are concerned about a possible illegal use of a pesticide, please contact your state pesticide regulatory agency. Most states have primary enforcement responsibility for pesticide misuse violations and for investigating possible instances of pesticide misuse.
2. File a report with the product's manufacturer, who is required by law to submit reports of adverse effects to EPA. You can find their contact information on the product label.
3. To report an incident directly, please email EPA. Your email should include the product name and EPA Reg. No., along with the location, date, and description of the incident. EPA will store your information in its Incident Data System and it will be compiled with other incidents for EPA to analyze when taking a regulatory action.
4. If the incident occurred at work, please contact your local Occupational Health and Safety Administration office.
5. If you suspect that federal pesticide regulations have been violated, submit a report to EPA.
6. You may also contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at 1-800-858-7378 to find out more about reporting pesticide exposure or illness. NPIC provides summary reports to EPA on incidents; however, it does not collect information for enforcement purposes nor does it provide EPA with any personal identifying information.

Additional Information for Physicians and Health Care Providers

By law, pesticide-related illness is a reportable condition in several states.

• The Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings: 6th Edition manual gives healthcare providers a quick reference resource for the best toxicology and treatment information for patients with pesticide exposures.
• Some products applied to people or animals are considered drugs (pharmaceuticals). Adverse reactions to drugs should be reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• The Migrant Clinicians Network offers resources for clinicians on pesticide incident management and reporting.
• NPIC also offers Medical Case Profiles on Pesticide Incident Reporting (PDF). NPIC has a medical toxicologist who is available to provide information and consult with physicians about non-emergency pesticide exposure cases.
• Patients can be advised of the options listed above for reporting a pesticide exposure incident.