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STUDENTS
EXPOSED TO LAWN PESTICIDES
Fifteen
high-school students in Bronx, NY were treated on April 20
after exposure to a cloud of herbicide that parks employees
were spraying on grass nearby, according to New
York Newsday. Fire department officials say the
pesticide drifted through a window into a room the students
were occupying. Most of the students were treated on the
scene, however one was taken to Lincoln Medical and Mental
Health Center due to difficulty breathing and nausea.
Parks
Department spokeswoman Megan Sheekey stated the incident was
accidental, and that a parks crew was spraying the chemical on
grass 200 feet away from the center, which was evacuated.
Pesticides
commonly drift due to weather conditions, and can be
exacerbated by such factors as the type of sprayer, and the
pesticide droplet size. Beyond Pesticides has documented
several other incidents of pesticide drift in schools. For
example, in Litchfield, Illinois, a pesticide drift incident
occurred at the Litchfield Middle School by a negligent
pesticide applicator, causing 100 students, teachers and
parents to become sick in May 1998. Two children required
hospital attention. On November 8, 2000, students, staff and
parents arriving at Mound School in Ventura, CA, were exposed
to Lorsban 4ETM (chlorpyrifos), which had drifted from the
lemon orchard across the street from the school onto school
property. Almost 40 individuals on-site during the initial
drift incident reported symptoms ranging from dizziness,
blurry vision, nausea, chest tightness, and, in some children,
on-going diarrhea. Two children were sent home because of
symptoms of pesticide exposure. To read more about these and
other school pesticide exposures, see School
Pesticide Incidents from Around the Country: A Selection of
Student and School Staff Poisonings.
Such
exposures are alarming, since children take in more pesticides
relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ
systems that are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify
toxic chemicals. Allowing for this type of accident to happen
is unnecessary, since there are safer alternatives to the
herbicide use that caused the Bronx students to become ill,
even for such large-scale areas as public parks and school
athletic fields. An integrated pest management system of
proper watering and mowing, aeration, dethatching and
maintaining proper pH allows for healthy grounds that are
naturally pest resistant. Contact Beyond Pesticides for more
information.
TAKE
ACTION: Find out what state
laws and local policies govern your school. Contact Beyond
Pesticides to learn how
to get your school to adopt an IPM program by:
(1) Identifying
the school's pest management policy;
(2) Educating yourself and evaluating the program;
(3) Organizing the school community;
(4) Working with school decision-makers; and,
(5) Becoming a watchdog and establishing an IPM Committee.
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