State and Local School Pesticide Policies

Beyond Pesticides’ website has an extensive list of pesticide policies by state. We will list a few here.

California
California School Policy


Connecticut
Legislation passed in July 2015 banning toxic pesticides on municipal playgrounds. School districts are required to give minimum 24 hour notification for pesticide application on school property. Integrated pest management methods and tracking are required to reduce pesticide use on state properties as well.
SB – 443 an act concerning pesticides on school grounds, parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and municipal greens


Hawaii
Herbicides are banned at public schools.
Pesticide and herbicide use and regulation on school campuses


New York
Law prohibits school or day care centers from applying pesticides to any playgrounds, turf, or athletic or playing fields. The requirements are administered by the NY State Education Department for schools and by the Office of Children and Family Services for daycare centers.
Pesticide prohibition on grounds at schools and day care centers


Town Of Marblehead, Massachusetts
Adopted: December 2005
Board Of Health Organic Pest Management Regulations


Model laws and policies are possible. A model law should prohibit the use of the most toxic pesticides from being used, provides right-to-know, and establishes school IPM. Depending on the political climate in your area, banning the worst chemicals may not be feasible. This model demonstrates legislation that truly protects children from pesticides at schools.  See Beyond Pesticides model IPM policy for schools here: https://www.beyondpesticides.org/programs/children-and-schools/resources/model-laws-and-policies




Municipal Policy


See non-profit Beyond Pesticides’ State Pages for a collection of municipal and school pesticide policies, as well as news stories, local organizations, regulatory contacts and least-toxic pest control operators.  Beyond Pesticides map of U.S. pesticide reform policies can be found here.


California State Policies

• Food & Agricultural Code: Section 11501-11518
• WNV Surveillance and Response Plan
• Assembly Bill No. 2472(State Buildings & Lands)

• Reduce use/least-toxic
• IPM Components: Monitoring, Prevention, Action Levels, Least-toxic/Restricted use

Local Policies
Alameda County
Arcata
Belvedere
Berkeley
Contra Costa County
Corte Madera
Costa Mesa
Davis
Fairfax
Irvine
Marin County
Malibu
Moraga
Oakland
Palo Alto
Riverside Municipal Museum
Richmond
San Anselmo - Resolution No. 3656
San Diego County
San Diego Port District
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
City-Wide IPM Strategy
Pesticide Hazard And Exposure Reduction (PHAER) System
Santa Clara County
Santa Cruz
Santa Monica
Sunnyvale
Park/Playing Field Policies
Mill Valley - Eastwood Park
San Carlos - Vista Park


View more municipalities from around the country here.



Keys to a successful policy


Organic systems nurture soil biology to support the natural cycling of nutrients, resulting in resilient turf systems and plants. Because the use of toxic materials undermines the organic system by harming the soil microbial life, following organic standards and identifying compatible products is an essential component of the system. Read Organic 101 for more.




Policy Resources


Toxics Use Reduction Institute
TURI at UMass Lowell
Organic Grass Care Case Studies




Sample Policy
Grassroots Environmental Education

Organic Pest Management Policy
for Turf and Landscape on Town-Owned Land




Sample Resolution
Non Toxic Communities
Organic Land Care




Northeast Organic Farming Association
(NOFA) Standards for Organic Land Care
6th edition published November 2017




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