San Francisco Dramatically Cuts Pesticide Use

The amount of pesticides used by the City and County of San Francisco has dropped dramatically in the past year as a result of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program mandated by the city's tough anti-pesticide law. Total use has dropped by approximately two-thirds since 1995 and use of pesticides linked to cancer and reproductive harm dropped to almost zero.

The most significant reduction occurred in the Recreation and Park Department. From December 1994 to November 1995, the Department used 3,884 pounds of solid pesticide products and 64 gallons of liquid pesticide products considered the most hazardous by law*. From January 1997 (when the law went into effect) to August 1997, those totals decreased to 23 pounds and eight gallons of the most hazardous pesticides. Total use of pesticide products in the city and county dropped from 4,877 pounds and 372 gallons to 640 pounds and 136 gallons over the same period.

The Agricultural Commissioner of San Francisco, David Frieders, whose office provides technical assistance to the other city departments, said, "It's been exciting. When we started this project with Pesticide Watch (an environmental advocacy and watchdog group involved in drafting the IPM law and as well as implementation), it seemed that there were many hurdles that were going to be insurmountable. As it turned out, it's been a relatively enjoyable process.

"I look forward to moving into the next role, which is to assist the other departments with their IPM plans. We'll be providing departments with training and education, and eventually we'll be able to take this even further than San Francisco, working with my counterparts, the other county agricultural commissioners throughout California, helping them and the state to realize IPM is the way to go for pest control."

In October 1996, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pass one of the toughest pesticide ordinances in the nation. The ordinance banned the use of the most toxic pesticides, including those suspected of causing cancer and reproductive harm, by city departments and contractors in 1997, and the remaining pesticides by the year 2000.

Exempted from the law are water and wastewater treatment, anti-microbials (cleaners and sterilizers) used in health care, and swimming pool water treatment. Limited use or emergency exemptions may be considered by the Commission on the Environment, provided city departments or contractors can prove that they have made a good faith effort to find alternative approaches and that no effective, economically viable alternatives exist.

The Commission on the Environment through its Department of the Environment oversees and regulates the IPM program for the City and County of San Francisco. The Department of Agriculture and Weights and Measures provides technical assistance to city departments and contractors in implementing their IPM plans.

Gregg Small, director of Pesticide Watch and one of those involved in drafting and implementing the IPM law, stated, "We have taken that important first step in reducing pesticides, but two big challenges remain. The first is to reduce the amount of pesticides that are still used here in the parks and other public buildings. Pesticides that threaten the public health and environment continue to be used, but we expect these to be eliminated over the next several years.

"The second major challenge is that people in other communities continue to be unnecessarily and unknowingly exposed to toxic pesticides. We hope to use the model here in San Francisco as an example that we can eliminate the use of the most hazardous pesticides and safely manage pests so that the people and the environment are protected."

*The San Francisco pesticide law defines most hazardous pesticides as: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Category 1 acute toxins; EPA possible, probable or known carcinogens; and pesticides known to the State of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm under Proposition 65.

10/24/97