Steve Tvedten of Get Set, Inc.'s email to Lyndon Hawkins of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation citing additional study of inadequated testing of "registered" pesticides.

Questions have been asked of the California Department of Pesticide Control since Fontana Unified School District declined to consider a pesticide free IPM program because of the Department of Agriculture's opinion about only utilizing registered pesticides to eliminate pests.  The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has remained silent and not responded to these issues:

Subject:   Healthy Schools Campaign Action Alert
   Date:     Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:41:13 -0500
   From:   Rosalind Tvedten <stvedten@earthlink.net>
 Organization:  Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
 To:   Lyndon Hawkins <hawkins@empm.cdpr.ca.gov>
 

The Californians for Pesticide Reform have launched a Healthy Schools Campaign Action Alert.

Endorse AB 1207, The Healthy Schools Act of 1999 Send Letters of Support by March 31st

Summary
The Healthy Schools Act of 1999, Assembly Bill (AB) 1207 has been introduced by Assembly Member Kevin Shelley and will be heard in Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials committee the first two weeks of April.  This bill would address the problems of pesticide use in schools, lead, poor indoor air quality and radon.  Please write a letter endorsing the bill to Assemblyman Kevin Shelley by March 31st.  We are also inviting groups to collect postcards and/or include an article about AB 1207 in your newsletter.

Environmental Health Problems in Schools: Children are more susceptible to environmental hazards than adults.  Pound for pound, children eat more, drink more, breathe more and have more skin area than adults, resulting in relatively greater exposures to chemicals in the environment.  Because children are undergoing complex biological growth and development, and because they lack mature organs to filter and metabolize toxic chemicals, they are also more vulnerable.

Childhood cancer rates have increased 1% per year over the last decade, and childhood cancer is now the leading cause of death by disease among children under 15.  Approximately 5 million children in the U. S. under the age of 18 have asthma, with rates having risen for the past 25 years.  Currently, asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism.  Toxic exposures contribute to both these illnesses and others.

California schools currently fail to protect children's health.

 Californians for Pesticide Reform's (CPR) report by the CALPIRG Charitable Trust  revealed that 87% of school districts reported using one or more hazardous pesticide; 20% reported using known or probable human carcinogens.
 The U. S. Government Accounting Office surveyed school facilities and infrastructure nationally in 1995; California ranked at the bottom, with higher rates of building problems than any other state.  Poor maintenance may increase exposure to molds,  lead and asbestos and increases the likelihood of pest infestations.
 The California DHS found that 38% of schools contain deteriorating lead-based paint, 6% have soil lead levels greater than the federal limit, and 18% have lead in drinking water in excess of the U. S. EPA's action level.  Lead is known to decrease IQ and impair learning.

AB 1207 -  The Healthy Schools Act of 1999  AB 1207 is sponsored by Assembly Member Kevin Shelley (D-San Francisco).  The bill will eliminate those pesticides used in schools that cause cancer, reproductive harm or are toxic to the nervous system.  The bill also requires schools to report all pesticide use to the state and provides notification to parents and posting before and after school pesticide applications.  In addition to pesticide use reform, the bill:

 Provides schools with the training, materials and incentives necessary to attain minimum environmental health standards.   Protects children from unsafe exposures to lead and radon.   Requires the state to adopt indoor air quality standards for "portable" classrooms.

Supporters:  The Healthy Schools Act is supported by the California Public Interest Research Group, Pesticide Action Network, Pesticide Watch and Physicians for Social Responsibility.  The Californians for Pesticide Reform are now beginning outreach to achieve widespread support and hope your organization can endorse.

Lyndon, how does it feel to be ranked at the bottom of the national list?  When (in your opinion) will it be "legal" in California to wash your can?

Respectfully,

Stephen L. Tvedten