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Summary of Findings
- Most School Districts Spray Indoors and Outdoors: Among
those responding to our survey (n=77) 87% sprayed pesticides indoors,
and 53% applied herbicides to fields and grounds.
- Toxic Chemicals Are Applied in Schools: Pesticides
reportedly applied indoors are toxic substances, and include compounds
that may adversely affect the human nervous system via cholinesterase
inhibition. These included organophosphate and carbamate insecticides.
- No Prior Notification or Consent: Pesticides are
normally applied without the prior knowledge or consent of students,
parents or guardians, or schoolteachers and employees. Only the applicator
is aware of the chemical being applied, its concentration, the precise
location and time of application.
- Areas Treated with Pesticides: Areas treated with
pesticides in Connecticut schools included: cafeterias, kitchens,
children’s lunch storage areas, locker rooms, showers, restrooms,
teachers’ lounges, common areas such as hallways, and storage
rooms.
- Routine Pesticide Applications in Schools: Among
all responding districts, 32% applied pesticides routinely regardless
of need. 55% sprayed “as needed,” and 13% did not spray
last year. Among those districts reporting routine spraying (n=16),
most sprayed monthly, however one urban district sprayed twice monthly,
and another urban district sprayed three times per month. The data
suggest that the larger urban school districts may receive more routine
pesticide applications than smaller rural and suburban districts.
- Absence of Records: Pesticide application records
are not kept in schools and are difficult for the public to obtain.
Information necessary to judge children’s exposure and health
risk includes: name of chemical, amount applied, location of application,
method of application, presence of others during application, delay
between application and human occupancy. The absence of records makes
it difficult to correlate student and employee health outcomes with
pesticide spraying.
- Qualifications of Applicators: Among those responding
to our survey, 65% used professional applicators, 12% used only school
personnel, and 23% used both professionals and school staff. Although
professional applicators may understand the toxicity of pesticides
better than untrained school personnel, they are allowed by law to
use more potent “restricted use” chemicals. Also, our
preliminary data suggest that when a school retained a professional
pest control company, they tend to spray more often or “routinely” than
districts that apply pesticides “as needed.”
- Presence of Children During Application: Connecticut
school districts are permitted by current law to apply pesticides
indoors and outdoors while school is in session.
- Federal Licensing of Pesticides is No Guarantee of Safety: Federal
registration of a pesticide in no way guarantees that it has been
fully tested to determine toxic effects on the developing immune,
nervous, and endocrine systems of fetuses, infants and children.
Nearly 700 active ingredients and 2,500 inert ingredients are licensed
for use within the United States.
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