Pesticides Still Pose a Risk to School Kids, Group Says

While a new law has prompted some California school districts to reduce usage of dangerous pesticides on school campuses, many children are still regularly exposed to chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects, the California Public Interest Research Group reported Thursday.

“Kids spend seven or eight hours a day and nine months a year in the same area,” said Corina McKendry, who surveyed the state’s 15 largest districts about their use of pesticides . “It’s unacceptable to take the risk of exposing children to these chemicals.”

The Healthy Schools Act, which became law in January 2001, requires schools to notify the parents of schoolchildren about the pesticides that they expect to use during the year. The law also requires schools to provide ways for parents to learn about pesticide applications in advance and to post warning signs near treated areas.

The law does not require school districts to cut back on pesticide usage, but the research group found that some districts have taken positive steps to reduce children’s exposure to chemicals.

While the law allows districts to develop their own pesticide reduction plans, it does require the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to show districts how they can decrease their dependency on chemicals.

According to the survey, the districts reported that they expected to use 54 different pesticides. Ten districts reported plans to use products containing carcinogens or toxins that may affect children’s reproductive and nervous systems.

Many of these chemical products could be replaced by less harmful substances, said Glenn Brank, spokesman for the state’s department of pesticide regulation.

Dennis Ziegler from Santa Ana Unified said the district has saved closed to $50,000 by switching to more environmentally friendly methods. Los Angeles Unified, the San Francisco and Oakland school districts were praised in the report for their plans to reduce pesticides.