VICTORY for New York & Connecticut!

Children at risk

Pesticides are often used both indoors and outdoors at our schools, to kill insects, weeds, and fungus. Children are more sensitive to toxic exposure due their developing and smaller bodies. Children are therefore at an elevated risk to the dangers associated with pesticide exposure.

Pesticides and our children’s health

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Academy of Sciences, and American Public Health Association, among others, recognize the danger that pesticide exposure pose to our children’s health. The growing body of peer reviewed scientific evidence indicates that pesticide exposure can adversely affect a child's neurological, respiratory, immune, and endocrine system, even at low levels. Long-term exposure to pesticides has also been linked to cancer, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Health problems associated with short-term pesticide exposure include acute impacts, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, seizures and respiratory problems. Researchers have found that pesticide exposure can induce a poisoning effect linked to asthma. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness in the nation, accounting for 14 million lost days of school annually. Despite this evidence, these toxic chemicals remain in widespread use in and around many schools.

Safer alternatives exist

Fortunately, schools can eliminate their use of hazardous pesticides while successfully and cost-effectively managing pest problems in school buildings and on school grounds. Numerous municipalities, school districts, individual schools, and some states, have chosen to adopt school pesticide policies that require a school to prohibit the use of toxic pesticides, and instead, use readily available and affordable non-toxic alternatives. Time and time again, schools that have eliminated toxic pesticide use are reporting effective pest management and significant long-term financial savings.

VICTORIES! Legislation to ban pesticides in schools in NY and CT!

On May 18, 2010, NY Governor Paterson signed the Child Safe Playing Fields Act, which banned the use of aesthetic pesticides on K-12 school and day care green spaces and playgrounds. This legislation went into effect in May of 2011. CCE will continue to be vigilant as this legislation is implemented, ensuring that the protections we have all worked for are fully implemented.

In 2007, CCE successfully worked for a similar ban in Connecticut, banning pesticides in grades K-8. The legislation went into effect in July of 2010. Despite continuing efforts to undermine and roll back this legislation, CCE and our partners were able to protect the ban during the 2012 legislative session and stand prepared to combat future attacks on this important law.

Children spend a significant amount of time on school property. Banning harmful pesticides where our children learn and play significantly reduces their exposure to toxic chemicals. This is an important children's health measure to protect developing bodies from the toxic effects of chemical pesticide exposure. CCE thanks our members for taking action in support of these commonsense children's health protections in both NY and CT!

Updated by lburch 5/16/12