The City Council should fund an independent evaluation of the city s current pest control policies, practices, and programs to assess the potential health consequences associated with municipal pesticide use and to develop recommendations for pesticide use reduction. By making a commitment to reducing its own pesticide use, New York City government can lead by example and demonstrate that pest control through safer means is a viable reality. The City Council should establish a Pest Management Board with representation from the medical community, environmental and health advocacy groups, community-based organizations, people with expertise in pest management, agency officials, and other interested individuals and organizations to monitor and advise the city on safer pest control practices. Similar boards have been highly successful in Buffalo, Albany, and Westchester County. New York City should encourage pilot programs to control pest problems in high-risk indoor settings, such as apartment buildings and schools, without resorting to synthetic pesticides.
Funding is available from the state for training in non-toxic pest control.
New York City should adopt the state s Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law, enacted in August 2000, which would require advance notice of pesticide applications on lawns in order to give neighbors the opportunity to take measures to protect their families and property from pesticide exposure. The New York State Legislature should establish a commission to investigate the high use of pesticides in urban settings and recommend policy reforms to protect urban environmental health. The exceptionally high levels of pesticide use and exposure in New York City merit serious attention from policymakers and the public health community. With safer pest management practiced on a daily basis across the nation, continued reliance on pesticides puts New Yorkers at unnecessary risk. The time is ripe to reverse course to reject the risks and financial burdens foisted upon society by pesticide manufacturers and make pesticide alternatives the norm in New York City and New York State.