Pesticide ban to come early in Greenwich?
With the state poised to extend the ban of pesticide use from elementary schools to middle schools in summer 2009, Greenwich is considering getting a year's head start.
The Board of Selectmen is expected to vote April 10 on the ban, which was recommended by Dr. Michael Franco of the town's new Environmental Task Force in March.
"The town can take the lead and cease immediately using all pesticides," Dr. Franco said. "This is an issue we consider very important and is important to many people in the town. There's a lot of support for our program."
If approved, the ban would stop the routine application of pesticides to town-owned athletic fields. Dr. Franco serves as chairman of the task force's subcommittee on pesticides and said the ban should include herbicides, insecticides or any agent that intends to kill pests. He cited a "growing body of literature" that claims exposure to pesticides is harmful for kids and can have long-term effects that lead to adult diseases. He said this can have a harmful environmental effect not just on humans but also on pets.
While no vote was taken, passage seems likely.
First Selectman Peter Tesei said he believed he would support it, and Selectwoman Lin Lavery, who chairs the task force, called it a "simple trade-off" to have more crab grass in exchange for keeping people safe.
Dr. Franco urged the selectmen to take action before the scheduled April 14 spraying of town athletic fields with a herbicide known as Barricade 4FL, which helps eliminate crab grass.
Town Tree Warden Bruce Spaman told the board he believes the town has until the morning of the spraying to stop the application, and he isn't sure what impact not spraying would have on the fields, other than there would be more crab grass.
Greenwich resident Neil Lubarsky told the selectmen the continued use of pesticides on town fields puts children at risk for cancer later in life.
"I know the town chooses to use Barricade because it's one of the least dangerous of the very dangerous chemicals in the herbicides that are out there," he said. "That's true, but when you hear what the potential dangers are for this herbicide, I think you'll be anxious to adopt the resolution and you'll be anxious to restrict the use of even more dangerous herbicides."
He said Barricade 4FL contains an ingredient classified by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1986 as a possible carcinogen that has been shown to cause benign thyroid tumors, liver alteration and enlargement and hormone imbalances in tests on rats.
"I'm not a scientist, but I can tell you the reason rats are used is because there are certain similarities in certain biological systems they have and reactions with humans," Mr. Lubarsky said. "This is all reported in the manufacturer's own material safety data sheet."
Mr. Lubarsky added Barricade 4FL tends to stay in the soil for months, which means it can have an effect even after the area is deemed "safe" following the initial application.
"This can negatively affect children's hormonal balance," Mr. Lubarsky said. "It can result in learning disabilities, testicular cancer, impaired thyroid function, and declining sperm counts in men. That's just from the active ingredient that kills the crab grass.
"There are other substances in Barricade that all don't have to be disclosed. They could be highly carcinogenic and we don't even know about it."
He also cited ingredients that are known to cause everything from headaches to pulmonary fibrosis if breathed in. Since the chemicals stay in the soil, Mr. Lubarsky said, kids would be breathing them in as they play and kick up the dirt on the fields.
Mr. Tesei called Mr. Lubarsky's presentation "frightening." Town Conservation Director Denise Savageau said she is also concerned about the chemicals in pesticides getting into the soil and the town's groundwater supply. She said a townwide policy has to be enacted.
State Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149), a member of Greenwich's legislative delegation, was co-sponsor of the state bill to extend the ban and has said she wants it extended even further, to high schools throughout the state. Mr. Lubarsky was credited last year as a major force behind the bill.
The town already has an integrated pest management (IPM) program at North Street School that doesn't use any pesticides. Dr. Franco praised the program and said it is proof it can be effective. Instead of pesticides, the town uses a variety of methods, including pest trapping and other biological and cultural controls. Mr. Spaman said this means using every other means of control before considering using pesticides.
"The strategies at North Street can be used at all our athletic fields," Dr. Franco said. "In a lot of ways we're already getting ahead of the eight ball."
Mr. Spaman said the North Street strategy, which has been in place for two years, remains an experiment. He added he isn't sure what the ultimate impact of it will be. He said there haven't been any problems so far, but urged the selectmen to consider the action before voting on it. Questions were raised about the language of the proposal, and some unclear parts were expected to be clarified before next Thursday.
David D'Andrea, superintendent of the town's Griffith E. Harris Golf Course, also urged the selectmen to wait to hear more public opinion.
"I don't think the people want to find out about the restriction after it's already happened, even if it's in their best interest, which this sounds like it may be," he said.