ACPA Claims Pesticides Safe for School Kids

July 19, 2001

Jay Vroom, president of the American Crop Protection Association, speaking for a coalition of pest management associations representing about 10,000 companies, Wednesday told members of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry that pesticides have a long history of safe use in schools to protect children's health. But, because of repeated activists attacks to create political perception that pesticides are harmful to children, industry sought to reach a reasonable compromise regarding school pest management plans.

The compromise "achieves three significant goals," Vroom said. "First, it advances product stewardship by ensuring that schools implement effective integrated pest management programs along the lines envisioned by Congress. Second, it creates greater transparency by providing an access mechanism for parents who wish to be informed about pesticide use in their children's schools. Finally, it provides a benchmark standard among the states.

"Several dozen states currently have school pesticide laws in place. Some of these laws are based on a balanced approach to pest management; however, many simply prohibit the use of most pesticides, denying schools vital tools needed to protect children from disease-carrying and nuisance pests," Vroom added.

He told subcommittee members that ACPA and its coalition members believe IPM programs in agriculture and urban/suburban settings are important components of product stewardship.

"We are committed to this balanced, environmentally sound, locally controlled and site-specific approach to pest management," Vroom said. "The adoption of IPM programs in agriculture and schools is a goal that has been long endorsed by our associations, provided that the IPM program is based on the well-tested federal IPM standard outlined in Food Quality Protection Act and the Children's Health Act."

In his testimony, he reiterated that pesticide products must pass at least 120 tests to ensure that they do not pose unreasonable adverse effects on adults, children and the environment before the EPA will grant registration.

In addition to ACPA, the industry coalition includes RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), National Pest Management Association, Consumer Specialty Products Association, Chemical Producers and Distributors Association and the International Sanitary Supply Association.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reported Wednesday that the effort to enact the first federal restrictions on pesticides in public schools ran into last-minute opposition led by members of the House Agriculture Committee. Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R-VA) said the proposed rules have not been reviewed by appropriate federal agencies and would impose unfunded federal mandates on school districts.

``We're going to fight this thing tooth and nail,'' said Goodlatte, chairman of the House Agriculture oversight subcommittee that held the hearing Wednesday featuring critics of the pesticide restrictions. That led Jay Feldman, executive director of the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, to say the framework he helped draft is now in jeopardy. "There is no question that this committee is trying to derail this bill and the protection it would provide for children," Feldman said.