At least 26 schools are located within a mile of large agricultural companies that spray restricted-use pesticides, according to the nonprofit Center for Food Safety. And over the years, many residents have complained about sicknesses they attribute to pesticide drift, some of which sent schoolchildren to hospitals.
Green, an emergency room physician from the Big Island, is worried that exposure to pesticides could be causing developmental disorders in young people. He is drafting a bill that would require users of certain pesticides to abide by disclosure requirements. It would also establish buffer zones near schools and hospitals.
“It’s pretty clear and simple to me that pesticide exposure is bad for children’s health and we can prevent that exposure by passing this bill without damaging Hawaii’s agriculture,” Green said.
There have been multiple reports of children and teachers falling ill and attributing it to pesticide drift from neighboring homes and fields.
It won’t be easy. Controversial bills have a way of dying early deaths in the Hawaii Legislature, even though Democrats overwhelmingly control both houses. For example, lawmakers for years have rejected measures to require labels on genetically engineered food. And while Green’s bill focuses on pesticides rather than genetically modified farming, it will likely attract similar supporters and opponents as the hot-button issue that has made Hawaii a flashpoint for the GMO debate.
To get his measure through, Green will have to overcome skepticism from some lawmakers who may see buffer zones as too intrusive, as well as likely opposition from the agricultural industry. The Hawaii Crop Improvement Association declined to comment for this story. But DuPont Pioneer, the largest U.S. producer of hybrid seeds for agriculture, said in an email from spokeswoman Laurie Yoshida that focusing on commercial agriculture companies ignores many pesticide users who aren’t involved in farming.
Still, Green hopes he has crafted a middle-of-the-road approach that will gain widespread support. Given that counties’ hands are tied by court rulings, his bill may be the best hope for local residents who want more regulation of pesticides.
via Will Hawaii Lawmakers Address Concerns About Pesticides? – Civil Beat.