Why Herbicides Shouldn't Be Used in Our Parks

Thalidomide, DES (diethylstilbestrol), asbestos, DDT and cigarettes.

These products have something in common: according to the “best practices” of their day, they were all considered safe. We now know that these products caused cancer, birth defects or death.

Scientific studies have already linked lawn chemicals with childhood cancer; asthma; neurological, behavioral and immune system disorders; endocrine disruption; and reproductive impairment, among others.

How does the Park District of Highland Park ? Dandelion elimination. Apparently, some residents have complained that there are too many weeds, compromising “the integrity of the playing surfaces.” Weeds do not cause injuries, so aesthetics appears to be their sole motivation.

In Chicago, herbicides are not applied at any neighborhood parks. The Chicago Park District took a proactive approach and sponsored an education campaign informing residents of dandelion cycles and letting them know that dandelions present means the grass is safer for their children. As a result of the campaign, weed complaints in Chicago have decreased significantly.

Our Park District has chosen to spend our tax dollars educating our community about the necessity, benefits and safety of herbicides. They have recently launched a major public relations effort to support their decision to apply herbicides to children’s playing fields at , and . The Park District is going to surprising lengths to convince the public that the herbicide applications are necessary and considered safe.

In response to a massive that the herbicide applications jeopardize the health and safety of our most vulnerable residents, , and has scheduled a community meeting at 7 p.m. on October 11, 2011. Operation Placate will feature a crop scientist and an EPA employee. In the Park District’s Q & A, which accompanied their most recent press release, the crop scientist answered the question “Isn’t it harmful?” with the response “Many non-scientists have a misplaced level of fear regarding some herbicides and pesticides.” Yikes! I move to strike that answer as nonresponsive. This begs the question of what is the proper level of fear one should have?

The Park District has falsely described their chosen herbicide, Confront, as “EPA approved." EPA regulates pesticides because they are not safe. “All pesticides sold legally in the United States are registered by EPA, but such registration is not a guarantee of safety.” (www.epa.gov). Understand that EPA registration is not akin to a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, and if anything, should alarm rather than comfort.

The Park District’s mission is quite simple: “to enrich the quality of community life through a diversity of healthy leisure pursuits and a heightened appreciation of our natural world,"(www.pdhp.org). Covering the children’s playing fields with herbicides runs counter to the park district’s mission. Exposing children to lawn chemicals does not “enrich the quality of community life,” does not offer them “healthy leisure pursuits,” and certainly does not demonstrate a “heightened appreciation of our natural world”.

The decision to apply herbicides precisely where children play is one of great magnitude and may negatively impact the children’s health for decades to come. To the best of my knowledge, none of our commissioners has a degree in public health or medicine. Is anyone else concerned that no one with medical or public health expertise is being included? The Park District is relying upon the wrong experts. We don’t want assurances from people researching the best pesticides to use on golf courses. We need to hear from pediatric oncologists.

Are we going to ignore all of the scientific evidence connecting herbicides with serious health issues, including cancer, birth defects and nervous system disorders? Are we going to forget how Thalidomide, DES (diethylstilbestrol), asbestos, DDT, and cigarettes were once thought to be safe, but were later found to cause cancer, birth defects, or death?

The philosopher George Santayana warned, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The Park District is asking us to ignore science and forget history.

Michelle Kramer
Highland Park resident