From: ROSANNE LINDSAY [mailto:lindsayvalley@...]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 10:15 AM
To: Grassroots Fitchburg
Subject: [GF] 80 Percent of Schools are Applying Pesticides

As schools reopen, it may be wise to inquire about what is sprayed in and around the building in which your child will spend most of his week. In my neighborhood there is a list of banned chemicals including Banvel, Command, Diquat, Paraquat, Tordon, and 2-4D. 

Rosanne

80 Percent of Schools are Applying Pesticides

More than 80 percent of schools in America use toxic pesticides as a preventative measure, whether it's needed or not.

Mark Lame, an entomologist and professor at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs, believes this is an entirely unnecessary practice that carries more risks than benefits to students and faculty.

The most widely used pesticides are, in fact, nerve poisons. They cause uncontrolled nerve firing, and disrupt the delicate hormone systems.

The link between pesticide exposure and health problems in children is already well established. Research has connected these endocrine-disrupting pesticides to health problems such as ADHD, autism, and infertility -- all of which are on the rise.

Professor Lame says pest problems are better managed through an integrated approach -- by preventing the conditions that attract pests into school facilities in the first place.

Lame serves as a consultant for schools around the country, helping them reduce the toxic load by implementing his Integrated Pest Management (IPM) process.

Science Daily July 21, 2007