Schools and Children's Health

Children face unique and magnified hazards from pesticide exposure. Because they are growing and developing, the rapid changes in their organ and neurological systems often make them more sensitive to toxic exposure.  The U.S. EPA, National Academy of Sciences, and American Public Health Association, among others, have voiced concerns about the dangers that pesticides pose to children. The body of scientific evidence shows that pesticide exposure can adversely affect a child's neurological, respiratory, reproductive, immune, and endocrine systems, even at low levels. Being exposed to pesticides can cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms and such exposures have been linked to cancer, particularly Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. 

It is important to reduce the use of pesticides around children. However, pesticides are commonly used at schools despite the medical data on children's physical vulnerability to the toxicity of these chemicals. Children can also be exposed to pesticides from adjacent forestry and agricultural areas while on sports fields, at school bus stops or walking to and from school.  A review of pesticide reports shows a pattern of many such pesticide exposures.  In many cases, pesticide spray is applied repeatedly at the same location, both over the course of a single season and for multiple years.  When delivering pesticides by aerial, dusting, airblast, or other motorized methods to targeted sites, commercial pesticide operators often are not able to account for shifts in weather patterns or wind direction.  As a result, drifting pesticides can immediately impact school property.  The Oregon Pesticide Analysis Response Center has received reports of children and school staff being sickened by drift incidences. Protection zones can help eliminate risk from pesticide drift.

Models for pesticide use reform can be found in California and seven other states who have enacted restrictions on pesticide applications that create buffer zones ranging from 500 feet to 2 ½ miles in areas neighboring a school. Thirteen other states require Integrated Pest Management programs in public schools.

The State of Oregon is charged with the responsibility of creating a healthy learning environment for children. Central to this effort are initiatives aimed at public education about pesticide hazards and eliminating children’s exposure to pesticides while they are at school.

What is OTA Doing?

Oregon Toxics Alliance efforts are currently focused on the Oregon State Senate's Work Group on Pesticides and Health.