Pesticide raises concerns

By Natasha Clark

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW A group of Longmeadow citizens has been voicing their concern about the use of pesticides on town playing fields.

Through ads in local newspapers, the group, called Three Up, is asking that the School and Park and Recreation Department cease the use of chemical pesticides.

Town Manager Robin Crosbie told Reminder Publications that the "approach that was taken is really to frighten people."

"I actually sat down with the Superintendent [of Public Schools] and the head of the Park and Recreation Department and talked to them about an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan," resident Bill Ravanesi told Reminder Publications. "[And they] revealed to me that they were going to be using four chemical pesticides [on the playing fields]."

When Ravanesi speaks about the IPM plan, he is referring to section seven of the Children and Family Protection Act, an act protecting children and families from harmful pesticides that went into effect November 1, 2000.

According to massnrc.org, IPM is a comprehensive strategy of pest control whose major objective is to achieve desired levels of pest control in an environmentally responsible manner by combining multiple pest control measures to reduce the need for reliance on chemical pesticides. More specifically, IPM is a combination of pest controls which addresses conditions that support pests and may include, but is not limited to, the use of monitoring techniques to determine immediate and ongoing need for pest control, increased sanitation, physical barrier methods, the use of natural pest enemies and a judicious use of lowest risk pesticides when necessary.

Information released by Ravanesi claims that the Longmeadow Park and Recreation Department is "using a combination of four pesticide products, including an herbicide called 2,4-D, which is 50 percent of the infamous Vietnam-era defoliant Agent Orange, on the fields where local children play."

According to Ravanesi, Agent Orange was used to defoliate the jungle in the Vietnam War.

"We see many, many cancers, generations later, from the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam," said Ravanesi.

Ravanesi also said that he suggested the names of other towns in Massachusetts that have stopped using chemical pesticides, two weeks before Longmeadow applied the chemicals.

"I told them that they should follow up. I left them the Wellesley plan and they went ahead anyway," Ravanesi said, adding that 2,4-D can be found in ground water up to a year later.

Crosbie said that the chemicals are "applied once a year and it brings the fields into good order for playing." Crosbie said when there is an uneven surface there is a potential for injuries.

"It is not something we have to do every year, [but] there was such an abundance of weeds last year and we needed to stabilize the fields," Crosbie explained. "[There is a] one time a year application and we are open to using other products."

Crosbie also mentioned that you have to have a license from the state to apply these chemicals, and in talking about the products, she said "they are similar, in strength, to residential lawn applications."

When Reminder Publications spoke with Tom Hammond, Superintendent of the Marblehead Park and Forestry Department, one of the Massachusetts towns that has stopped using chemical pesticides, he said that while there is no proven link between cancer and chemical pesticides and that it may just be circumstantial, all facts have to be considered in both cases.

"I personally have had problems with thyroid cancer and Parkinson's Disease, and I used a lot of chemical pesticides in the late 60s when I worked for the tree department," Hammond shared.

"The chair of the board [of the Park and Forestry Department] (Chip Osbourne) has had a personal experience [as well]. He's in the florist business, and he used pesticides 25 years ago, and lost a couple of dogs because they were in the greenhouse all the time. They died from cancer," he added.

Hammond said Marblehead stopped using pesticides mainly because of the Children and Family Act, and have been using organic pest management in regards to all town properties.

"To say that we don't have any weed problems is wrong," stated Hammond. "Wear and tear of heavy fields causes problems with keeping any grass on some fields, but we're able to keep up with the mowing. Stronger grass chokes out weeds and we've been able to get some pretty good turf."

Crosbie noted that the licensed applicators are using the minimum amount [of chemicals needed], and the town posted signs (saying to keep off the fields) are posted longer than they are required to be.

Ravanesi, however, disagreed stating that children have been playing on the fields within the five day required period.

"The town has a responsibility to keep children out of harms way," said Ravanesi.

Crosbie responded that it is the parents responsibility to make sure that children are staying off the fields when postings are advising them to.

"People can go into the fields in the dead of night," Crosbie said. "Parents have to be aware of where children are. Teach children that when they see these signs that these are signs you need to obey."

"There is ignorant pest management or intelligent pest management. It's unfortunate that Longmeadow did not do intelligent pest management," Ravanesi added.

The Superintendent of Public Schools and the Park and Recreation Department did not respond to inquiries about the use of chemical pesticides from Reminder Publications by press time.

To offer a better understanding of the chemicals Longmeadow uses on the playing fields, Town Manager Robin Crosbie submitted additional information. Please see page 12.