The state Department of Agriculture posted on its website Wednesday the amounts of restricted-use pesticides sprayed on fields by biotech companies on Kauai in December under the agency’s voluntary disclosure program.

The data are based on the first monthly report submitted by seed companies Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer, Dow AgroSciences and BASF, as well as Kauai Coffee, the largest coffee grower in the state.

Kauai Coffee was the sole company that reported no use of restricted-use pesticides for the month of December. General Manager Wayne Katayama said only general-use pesticides were sprayed on its fields last month.

The state Pesticides Branch established guidelines for the island’s yearlong agricultural Good Neighbor Program in November to address concerns raised by the Kauai community when the County Council was in the midst of debating Bill 2491. The bill was later passed with provisions more stringent than the voluntary program’s guidelines, but the yet-to-be implemented ordinance is facing a court challenge.

The program’s guidelines request companies to provide the name of restricted-use pesticides sprayed in their fields, EPA registration number, amount used, the type and amount of active ingredient in each, and the total acreage of each pesticide sprayed.

The five companies were asked to provide data by the 15th of each month. Environmental health specialist Christina Zimmerman said the state has yet to analyze the submitted data.

According to the December reports, Syngenta Hawaii used 213.6 gallons and 366.6 pounds of restricted-use pesticides; DuPont Pioneer used 118 gallons and 13.4 pounds; Dow AgroSciences used 127.4 gallons; and BASF used 2.2 gallons. For some types of pesticides, the companies reported gallon usage, and for others the number of pounds used.

Some of the common product names of the restricted-use pesticides listed on the website were Lorsban, Warrior II, Asana XL and Dual II Magnum.

The number of pounds of active ingredients included in each pesticide varied. A few of the common active ingredients from December’s list of pesticides were Chlorpyrifos, S-metolachlor and Lambda-cyhalothrin.

The report also provides the total acreage to which the indicated pesticide was applied, including multiple applications to one area.

When asked whether more than one type of pesticide can be sprayed in one lot, Zimmerman said in an emailed response: "Various pesticides can be applied to one particular area if the label for the said pesticides allow for it. If the label directions prohibit mixing of pesticides or application of specific types of pesticides to one plot of land within a certain period of time, that type of use would be restricted."

The location of the pesticides sprayed by each seed company was not included under the program guidelines because companies consider the information confidential.

BASF Applied Genetics Manager Kirby Kester said the voluntary program is a better, fair and legally sound solution for the community.

"We like the fact that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture has taken a solutions based and collaborative approach to addressing Kauai’s concerns about pesticide use. We have a long term working relationship with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and believe they have the expertise and processes in place to best address the communities concerns," Kester said in an emailed statement.

Kauai resident Andrea Brower, who supports the new county ordinance, said she is glad to see companies comply under the state’s voluntary program, but contends the program is "still woefully inadequate." The report does not provide the location and exact date and time of the pesticide application nor information on general-use pesticides.

"The provisions of our bill is designed to get the information we need," she said.

Under the voluntary program, companies may also establish buffer zones of at least 100 feet near schools, medical facilities and residential properties.

Guidelines for the voluntary program are significantly less stringent than the new Kauai County ordinance, which requires biotech companies to disclose the type of restricted-use as well as general-use pesticides they spray on their fields, the date and time of application, field number, wind direction and speed at the time of application and other detailed information.

The new law to be implemented by mid-August also requires companies to establish no crop growth zones within 500 feet of schools, medical facilities and dwellings; within 250 feet of parks; or within 100 feet of public roadways, shorelines and waterways.

A lawsuit against Kauai County by Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer and Agrigenetics Inc., doing business as Dow AgroSciences, was filed Friday. The complaint requests a permanent injunction on the new ordinance, which the three companies describe as flawed and invalid.

BASF and Kauai Coffee were not part of the complaint.

For more information on the submitted data under the Kauai Agricultural Good Neighbor Program, go to 1.usa.gov/1dSjUke.