New rules on pesticides near schools to go into effect

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson praised the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for adopting new rules to further protect students and schools from pesticide exposure. New rules will take effect on Jan. 1 regulating pesticide use near schools and licensed child-care facilities. “Children, teachers, school staff, parents and school communities need safe healthy school environments to learn and succeed, and that includes protection from unintended, unhealthy pesticide exposure,” Torlakson said. “I am pleased we will have an additional layer of protection.”

With the new regulations, schools must be notified in advance if pesticides will be used nearby. Pesticide applications will be prohibited within a quarter mile of schools and facilities between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. “These rules will help to further protect the health of children, teachers and school staff from unintended pesticide exposure,” said Department of Pesticide Regulation director Brian Leahy. “They build on our existing strict regulations and give an additional layer of protection.”

Although numerous local rules already exist to protect students from pesticide applications near schools, it is the first consistent statewide standard. The policy was created during a two-year process that included statewide outreach and approximately 19,000 public comments. For information, visit cde.ca.gov and cdpr.ca.gov.

Source: Beverly Press, November 16, 2017
http://beverlypress.com/2017/11/new-rules-on-pesticides-near-schools-to…