Preferring the Least Harmful Way

Pesticides pose risks to human health and the environment, with special risks to children. It is recognized that pesticides cause adverse health effects in humans such as cancer, neurologic disruption, birth defects, genetic alteration, reproductive harm, immune system dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and acute poisoning.

[ What is Precautionary Principal ]

[ School IPM Program ]

[ Pesticide Poisoning and Kids ] * [ Symptoms of Pesticide Poisoning ]
[ MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS ]

Subject:   Preferring the Least Harmful Way-----
Date:        Thu, 03 Feb 2000 08:29:42 -0500
From:        Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Lyndon Hawkins <hawkins@empm.cdpr.ca.gov>
          State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
          Integrated Pest Management

Dear Lyndon, I thought you might like to know that I have been asked to speak at the National Pesticide Forum 4/7-9/2000 on Integrated Pest Management in schools. I also thought you might also like to read an article from Rachel's Environment & Health Weekly #684, dated 1/27/00 entitled: PREFERRING THE LEAST HARMFUL WAY.

March 23, 1999, the Los Angeles Unified School District adopted a path-breaking new policy on pesticides in schools. The City of Los Angeles operates the largest public school system in the country. The policy says, in part:

"It is the policy of the Los Angeles Unified School District (District) to practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM)....

"Pesticides pose risks to human health and the environment, with special risks to children. It is recognized that pesticides cause adverse health effects in humans such as cancer, neurologic disruption, birth defects, genetic alteration, reproductive harm, immune system dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and acute poisoning. Pests will be controlled to protect the health and safety of students and staff, maintain a productive learning environment, and maintain the integrity of school buildings and grounds. Pesticides will not be used to control pests for aesthetic reasons alone. The safety and health of students, staff and the environment will be paramount. (Lyndon, it seems they do not like your "registered" POISONS!)

"Further, it is the goal of the District to provide for the safest and lowest risk approach to control pest problems while protecting people, the environment, and property. The District's IPM [Integrated Pest Management] Policy incorporates focusing on long-term prevention and will give non-chemical methods first consideration when selecting appropriate pest control techniques. The District will strive to ultimately eliminate the use of all chemical controls.

"The Precautionary Principle is the long-term objective of the District. The principle recognizes that:

"1. No pesticide product is free from risk or threat to human health, and

"2. Industrial producers should be required to prove that their pesticide products demonstrate an absence of the risks enumerated in paragraph two (2) rather than requiring that the government or the public prove that human health is being harmed.

"This policy recognizes that full implementation of the Precautionary Principle is not possible at this time and may not be for decades. But the District commits itself to full implementation as soon as verifiable scientific data enabling this becomes available."

To us, what seems most important about this policy is that it commits the Los Angeles school district to selecting the least harmful way to manage pests. Where two pest control techniques are available, the least harmful will be selected. This is a simple, but powerful way to make decisions about technologies that can degrade human health and the environment.

Our hat is off to Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) -- a coalition of over 130 organizations working to reduce the damage from pesticides in California. For further information about CPR and its other work, contact them at 49 Powell Street, Suite 530, San Francisco, CA 94102; tel. (415) 981-3939; or E-mail: pests@igc.org, or see www.igc.org/cpr.

For example, see their June, 1999, report FIELDS OF POISON, which documents the shocking failure of California health authorities to control the poisoning of farm workers by pesticides. CPR published this study with the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation. The report (in English and Spanish) is available on the web at http://www.panna.org/panna/resources/documents/fieldsAvail.dv.html.

Well Lyndon, If you would "legally" allow me to teach my safe and effective alternatives to your dangerous "registered" POISONS in California, we could put the precautionary principle into effect into Los Angeles and throughout your State now rather than waiting for decades!

Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten