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Caution: Pesticides and Playing Fields Can Be an Unhealthy Combination
As schools and children are gearing up for another year, parents and school leaders are turning their attention to the health and safety of students. A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that hundreds of students and school employees are poisoned by pesticide use at schools every year, and many more incidents go unreported.
It is well known that children are more susceptible to pesticides and other environmental toxins than adults. The National Academy of Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency have found that pound for pound, children take in more pesticides relative to their body weight than adults. At the same time, children's organ systems are still developing and are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify hazardous chemicals. Children also have a propensity to put their hands in their mouth and play on the ground, which increases their exposure to pesticides even further.
Schoolyards, playgrounds, and playing fields are integral parts of any school campus, especially in the fall. In an attempt to fend off pests, many schools use a range of toxic insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Those same chemicals sprayed on school grounds, however, may unintentionally be causing harm to the students and the staff. Using hazardous chemicals on athletic fields is especially troubling since children come in direct contact with the grass, especially while playing sports. Currently, asthma is the number one chronic illness among children in the U.S. Many lawn pesticides can contribute to asthma attacks and respiratory problems. Studies also show that children in households that use home and garden pesticides have an increased risk by more than six times of developing childhood leukemia. Additionally, laboratory studies on lawn pesticide product formulations show effects on learning ability, aggressiveness, memory, motor skills, and immune system function.
This past spring, Richard N. Ash, M.D., an internal medicine specialist and leader in the field of environmental medicine, spoke out against the continued use of chemicals on sports fields used by America's youth. "While the use of natural fertilizers is the best first step in growing a safe and environmentally healthy lawn or field for our children, we must be aware of how pesticides and other harmful and non-organic growing agents effect our children," said Dr. Ash in a press release.
Safe and effective alternatives to chemical lawn care are available, and are successfully being practiced by school districts across the country. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a program of prevention, monitoring, and control, which offers the opportunity to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of pesticides, and to minimize the toxicity of and exposure to any products that are used. IPM does this by utilizing a variety of methods and techniques, including cultural, biological, and structural strategies to control a multitude of pest problems. May times, IPM programs are more cost effective in the long term. In a report on IPM, EPA states, "preliminary indications from IPM programs in school systems suggest that long-term costs of IPM may be less than a conventional pest control program,"
This past July, a landmark bill banning lawn pesticides on the grounds of children's daycare centers and elementary schools passed in Connecticut. Under the bill, public and private schools can use IPM techniques to apply pesticides sparingly on playgrounds and playing fields until July 2008. After that, all pesticides, including fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, will be banned. The bill includes a provision that allows for the emergency application of pesticides to eliminate immediate human health threats, as determined by local or state health officials. Local advocates who worked to get the bill passed hope that SB 916 will serve as a model for other states to follow.
Transitioning a school playing field from chemical pest management to least-toxic IPM takes commitment and dedication from school staff and officials at all levels. In the end, the health and safety of the school community is worth it. Hundreds of schools around the country have successfully transitioned to IPM programs. Beyond Pesticides (a nonprofit organization) offers a wealth of information on IPM and least-toxic pest management to help your school reduce toxic chemicals on playing fields and school grounds.
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Thirteen states have laws requiring schools to implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, and four recommend IPM. In most of these states, the IPM laws do not apply to private schools, but we want our children to be healthy. To look up IPM laws in your state, or to find out more information on children, pestivides, and playing fields, visit www.beyondpesticides.org/schools/ or call (202) 543-5450.
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