Pesticides At Schools A Concern
For Canada, But Not For You, Mr. Helliker!
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Pesticides At Schools A Concern....For Canada, But Not For You, Mr. Helliker
Date:
Tue, 17 Sep 2002 16:43:26 -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
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Thursday, September 05, 2002 - The Regina Leader-Post - Pesticides at schools a concern by Scott Foster.
By 2004, a trustee of the Regina public school board would like to see all synthetic pesticides banished from public school grounds.
At a board meeting Tuesday, John Conway said he intends to present arguments to his colleagues on why cosmetic lawn chemicals need to be banned from board-owned property and why students and teachers need to be educated on their potential dangers.
"I'm well aware of the strong body of opinion from industry that the health effects of pesticides haven't been clearly proven yet," he said. "But some of the medical information we have is enough to convince me that there are risks involved. We should err on the side of safety when it comes to our children."
The Canadian Institute of Child Health's (CICH) Web site cites a case-control study in Los Angeles County that found "parental use of pesticides in the home or garden during pregnancy ... was associated with a three- to nine-fold increase in childhood leukemia." Scientists have found molecules in some pesticides can disrupt hormones in living creatures, which have been linked to a wide array of ailments, including cancer. Last April, members of the CICH told a federal standing committee on health that "the only acceptable risk is zero risk" regarding the use of pesticides "for purely cosmetic reasons around schools, child-care centres and homes.
"There is no justification for risking a child's health for a weed free lawn!" the members said.
On Tuesday, Conway urged the use of "child-safe and environmentally friendly alternatives to pest control measures and products." Al Taylor, a local environmentalist, said there are a host of organic products that can act as alternatives to such lawn chemicals as glyphosate (Round-Up) and 2,4-D. (Both are currently approved by Health Canada). But their organic counterparts are more expensive since they are produced on a smaller scale, he said.
The City of Regina's recent "Report on Pesticides" acknowledged city officials are seeing regular findings that suggest "adverse health affects" result from pesticide exposure. But the city is not prepared to ban the use of pesticides without further study. It will, however, listen to the public's views on the matter this year before making a final decision. Currently, the city's park staff spray schoolyards in July and August, stopping about a week before school starts.
"But the summer is when kids play the most," said Conway. He added that both teachers and students need to receive more information on pesticides so they know "what the risks are, the dangers, which ones to avoid, and which ones are completely safe."
In the last few months, the use of cosmetic pesticides has been a hot topic among Canadian municipalities and provinces.
© Copyright 2002 The Leader-Post (Regina)
http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=67F897FF-88C6-4659-88AC-47491CAC871C
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