News

By Mary–Ann Warmerdam
Director, California Department of Pesticide Regulation

Recent studies at suburban creeks in the Bay Area and Sacramento County make a strong point that environmental protection should begin in our own backyards.

The studies showed that one group of consumer pesticides are accumulating in streambeds, posing a hazard to small, aquatic organisms. While there is not any immediate threat to fish or humans, ecological effects must be addressed under state and federal water laws.

The chemicals under scrutiny are pyrethroids ("pie–WREATH–roids"). They range from insect sprays to pet shampoos, as well as chemicals used on the farm. The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has ordered more than 120 manufacturers and sellers to submit scientific data on more than 600 products in coming months. That will allow DPR to assess their effects in urban and agricultural waterways, and then take steps to assure water quality.

By acting promptly, DPR hopes to preserve use of these pesticides, because they replaced an older, more toxic class of chemicals. Pyrethroids are derived naturally from the chrysanthemum flower and they also are manufactured as synthetics. These "softer" chemicals are a valuable pest management tool and have been used in aerial spraying against mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus.

Pyrethroids underscore why sound pest management and pesticide safety can be as important in suburban neighborhoods as on the farm. Consumers may be contributing to pesticide problems with overuse, illegal disposal, and over-watering that causes runoff.

DPR, our local partners, the County Agricultural Commissioners, and state water agencies are working together on creative solutions for urban pest management. We want to cultivate a better environment and a better economy, whether the landscape is an orchard or a playground.

Currently, DPR is finalizing "Pest Management in the 21st Century," a guide for our priorities in the next decade and beyond. And it's significant that urban environmental issues were highlighted in this extensive review.

The recommendations call for more cooperative efforts with business, and more emphasis on integrated pest management — IPM. It's an approach that stresses natural, preventive, and least-toxic solutions to weed, insect, rodent, and other urban problems.

Hundreds of successful IPM programs — ranging from city and county governments to school districts and a museum to private landscaping and gardening operations — have quietly sown the seeds of urban environmental progress throughout California. These voluntary projects have succeeded because they provide cost–effective pest management solutions without layers of government regulation. IPM "brings home the green" in a way that meets our environmental and economic goals.

Now it's time to introduce IPM to a broader, statewide audience. We want to focus on urban and suburban consumers who are truly value-conscious. Our message is very simple: You can save money while you help your environment.

Many IPM methods are equally simple. Bringing home the green may involve pulling a few weeds by hand, learning to identify "good bugs," and cleaning up yard debris that may attract pests. It may mean changing our image of the perfect lawn. (Extensive IPM information)

Most of us live in an urban setting. We may not understand how crops are grown or computer chips are made, but we instantly recognize a local environmental problem — another air quality warning, a foul–smelling creek or river, or an overflowing landfill.

All of us want our families to enjoy the benefits of clean air and water, and we want to instill within our children a lasting respect for our environment. What better place to begin than in our own backyards?