Pesticide Safety Bill Considered In Montgomery County, Maryland.

Fred Langley, spokesman for Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) warns PCOs... The message being sent to consumers as a result of a local bill like this is that pesticides are bad

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Subject:   Two Stories from PCT----- Part 2
Date:       Tue, 03 Oct 2000 09:20:42 -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 

Continued from Previous Email:

The second story is entitled: Pesticide Safety Bill Considered In Montgomery County, Maryland.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Montgomery County Council member Blair Ewing is wary of the safety of pesticides available to consumers. As a result, he is working to get a bill passed that would force retailers in the county to take responsibility for the pesticides they sell by requiring them to store them safely, educate buyers on their potential dangers and offer alternative methods.

This is a song PCOs have heard before, and many do not believe the bill will affect them since it's geared towards retailers and consumers.

Fred Langley, spokesman for Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) warns PCOs to think again.

"The message being sent to consumers as a result of a local bill like this is that pesticides are bad, they shouldn't be used in homes and alternative methods should be sought," said Langley. "If a situation is created to make the public fearful of pesticides in their homes, then they're going to be hesitant to seek professional pest management when they need it."

These days, it's certainly not hard to find news about the dangers of pesticide use and exposure. According to Langley, the more the public continues to hear that pesticides are dangerous, the more they're going to believe it, transforming the myth into reality.

"This is clearly what activists are aiming to do," said Langley.  "They've made this determination that pesticides have caused all these problems like learning disabilities and cancer, but have no evidence to back it up."

The bill may sound like a reasonable public health policy since it would require retailers to store pesticides in a secure, labeled, unbreakable container away from food and medicine. However, according to Lynn Frank, chief of Montgomery County's public health services division, pesticide poisoning does not usually occur until after the product is purchased and opened — not at the point of distribution, when the product is sealed.

Frank said Montgomery County would need to hire an additional full-time inspector if the law is passed requiring them to oversee hardware stores, home improvement stores, nurseries and other businesses; an expensive action for a problem that cannot be proven to exist.

If the bill does pass in Montgomery County, Langley believes it's indicative of more to come.

"Attacking pesticide use at the state level gives a warning call that the industry can rally around. [RISE] can help engage on the issues, but when the issues drop down to the county level, it's an open field," said Langley.

That is why he encourages PCOs to get involved in their community's government and represent the industry as a whole. He believes someone from the industry needs to attend local council meetings like the one held in Montgomery County to present the facts about pesticide issues and clarify any misconceptions about their use.

"This bill will effect PCOs down the road but by the time they realize it, it may be too late for them to have any affect whatsoever," said Langley.

Tuesday, September 26, 2000

Well Mr. Helliker, Do you really beLIEve that your "registered" POISONS are "safe and/or protect"?  The real myth is that your pesticide POISONS can "control" pest problems.  After using billions of tons of just the active POISON ingredients - your "registered" POISONS have not controlled much less eliminated a single pest problem.

Respectfully,  Stephen L. Tvedten

Another myth is there are any legal alternatives in California.

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