CHILDREN FACE DANGER IN THE SCHOOLYARD. 

"It is highly irresponsible to expose young children to a known nervous system poison just because someone didn't like the look of ground beetles.. Parents should have been notified that this pesticide was used on school grounds, they should have been provided information about the health and environmental effects of diazinon, and children should be allowed to stay home if parents are concerned

[ What the Poison Industry has In Mind for our kids ]

 

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Subject:  CHILDREN FACE DANGER IN THE SCHOOLYARD--------
Date:      Sat, 09 Sep 2000 10:01:43 -0400
From:        Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
          Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation 

Dear Mr. Helliker,  I thought you might be interested in the following: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 5, 2000 - CHILDREN FACE DANGER IN THE SCHOOLYARD.

Charlottetown - Some Island school children face danger from a highly toxic insecticide applied on school property just before the start of the school year says Earth Action, a PEI environmental activist group.  Spokesperson Sharon Labchuk says granular diazinon was applied on the ground around at least 4 elementary schools - Eliot River, Englewood, Gulf Shore and Dundas.

Labchuk says parents and children need to be alerted to this potentially dangerous situation

She says diazinon, a commonly used insecticide in North America, is currently under review in the United States and will likely be banned in the near future.  She says it is in the same chemical class as chlorpyrifos which was just banned in the US and is slated for a ban in Canada.  Another insecticide in this class, azinphos-methyl, was banned last year in the US.

"Diazinon is highly toxic to all living things, including birds, fish, insects, earthworms and soil microbes.  It's banned for use on golf courses and sod farms in the US because it is so toxic to birds. Diazinon is also a known ground water pollutant. " says Labchuk.  "It is acutely toxic to humans but children are especially vulnerable because of their smaller bodies and developing systems. Children are exposed to diazinon by coming into direct skin contact with treated ground and by putting hands and soil into their mouths."

Labchuk says the US government reports diazinon is one of the leading causes of acute reactions to insecticide uses reported as poisoning incidents in that country.  Diazinon, commonly used on lawns, is a nervous system poison and can trigger nausea, dizziness, headaches, stomach cramps, aching joints, disorientation and inability to concentrate.  (Sounds like the "stuff" you would "want" "professionally" placed around your children - right Mr. Helliker?)

"I spoke to the company that applied the poison, PEI Pest Control, and learned that it was spread in a five foot wide band around school buildings to kill ground beetles.  The ground beetles were apparently getting into schools and it was decided these beetles were a nuisance," says Labchuk.. However, Labchuk says ground beetles are highly beneficial and valued by gardeners because they prey on other insects that may damage crops and flowers.  The beetles hide during the day and cause no harm to humans, building structures or stored foods.  In fact, she says, they will eat certain indoor insects that are considered damaging. Ground beetles are food for frogs, toads, birds, bats and spiders.

"It is highly irresponsible to expose young children to a known nervous system poison just because someone didn't like the look of ground beetles.. Parents should have been notified that this pesticide was used on school grounds, they should have been provided information about the health and environmental effects of diazinon, and children should be allowed to stay home if parents are concerned," says Labchuk.  "The treated areas should be roped off and staff need to keep children away until it snows. Research shows diazinon can persist for long periods."

"We need legislation in this province to protect children from harmful pesticides used in and around schools.  Policies should be developed for non-toxic control of insects, weeds and moulds on school property," says Labchuk.

EARTH ACTION Contact: Sharon Labchuk (902) 621-0719, slabchuk@isn.net 81 Prince Street, Charlottetown, PEI  C1A 4R3

Well Mr. Helliker, how can a professional pest control operator ever use any non-toxic (alternative) controls in California - if you require they can only "legally" use your "registered" POISONS to control pest problems?

Respectfully,  Stephen L. Tvedten

(Note:  Remember the Precautionary Principal.. that's the one where government and chemical companies think twice before killing us)

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