The exposure of children to pesticides around their homes, and in public areas such as schools, playgrounds, or day care centers has been recognized as an important and inadequately understood problem. In conducting a 1993 review of potential risks due to pesticides in the diets of children, the National Research Council (NRC) determined that children, including infants might be at greater risk than adults from harmful effects the pesticides can cause. Potential effects of pesticides on people of any age include central nervous system damage, cancer and respiratory illness. Because of the rapid development and the immaturity of their organs their tissues may absorb chemicals more readily and be less able to break them down. Pound for pound they eat more, drink more, and breathe more than adults and are lower and closer to the ground. One study found that children whose lawns were treated with pesticides were four times more likely to have soft tissue cancers and had a sixfold increased risk for developing leukemia.

The Council of Hazardous Materials found that treated lawns shouldn't be walked on for up to 10 days. Some studies show that pesticides have a half-life of up to a year, yet we allow our children to crawl, sit, and play on chemically treated grass and ingest pesticide residue from contact with toys and hands. For your children's health please consider a natural lawn.

What can you do?

Re-evaluate and limit your own use of pesticides. Weigh the known advantages and disadvantages of pesticide use. Consider redefining your lawn and yard. Take a stand and notify your neighbors. Contact your local municipality and develop a local policy on chemical lawn spraying in your neighborhood.

Sources

"Children's Exposure to Pesticides" Star Report: U.S. EPA Office of research and Development's Science to Achieve Results (STAR); Vol. 1, issue 1; October 1997.

"For Children, lawn pesticides are a bigger threat than weeds"Star Tribune; Minneapolis, Minnesota; April 8, 1999; Susan J. Berkson.

"Kids Need More Protection From Chemicals Environment," Los Angeles Time; Los Angeles, California; January 28, 1999; Lawrie Mott.

"A Parent's Guide To Pesticide Reduction In Wisconsin Schools ", April 1999; Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Citizens for a Better Environment and Wisconsin PTA; April 1999; M.E. Rolle.