Feb 12th, 2014, the State of California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation Enforcement Branch investigated the pesticide application at Malibu High School. They found the school to be in violation of the Healthy Schools Act.
A long list of pesticides that is known to cause harm is being used on the schools in Malibu and Santa Monica. SMMUSD is in violation of the Healthy Schools Act (please see attached). Malibu Unites requests that the district immediately comply with this law and enact a Precautionary Principal Policy for our district. The requirements for the Healthy Schools Act are as follows:
- IPM coordinator must make sure that the requirements of the Healthy Schools Act are met. The IPM coordinator should attend an IPM training in the next few months.
- District must provide annual written notice to all parents and staff of pesticide products expected to be applied at school sites for the year, including the name, active ingredient and the DPR’s school IPM website. If a product is not included in the annual notification, then you must give 72 hours written notice prior to application.
- District must establish an individual notification registry to allow all parents and staff the opportunity to register and be notified before each pesticide application throughout the year 72 hours prior to each application; providing the product name, active ingredient and intended date of application.
- District must post warning signs at each area where the pesticides will be applied at least 24 hours before and leave up 72 hours after. Signs must follow guidelines and must be visible to anyone upon entering the treated area.
- District must keep records of all pesticide application for four years at each school site that include: product name, manufacturer’s name, US EPA registration number, date and areas of application, reason for application and amount used. These records must be readily available to the public when requested.
- Don’t use prohibited pesticides. There is a list of prohibited pesticides and this list must be posted on the School IPM Web Site and updated quarterly by DPR.
We would like to help the district design and implement an organic pesticide plan that complies with the Healthy Schools Act. We strongly encourage the district to not use products that have health consequences that could potentially be harmful. There are alternatives to highly toxic pesticides that address pests without harming the health and safety of students, teachers and community members. The City of Malibu has a joint use agreement with SMMUSD and the application of harmful pesticides has exposed the children in those sports programs. Malibu Unites has advisory council members that are willing to help advise the district on an organic pesticide plan. In addition, we can provide you a recommendation to hire an organic pesticide expert to implement this plan.
These violations and the non-compliance with the Healthy Schools Act should be communicated from the district to all parents in the entire SMMUSD. Parents have a right to know about issues that could affect the health of their children.
We ask that the district comply with the Healthy Schools Act immediately to ensure that our students and those that educate them are in a healthy, clean and safe environment.
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Dept of Pesticide Report: Complete Report, Application Bills for all 4 Malibu Schools, List of Pesticides Used and their warning labels.
Dept of Pesticide Supplemental Report. Violation notice was issued to SMMUSD.
