NY Senate Buggin' Out Over Pesticides on Playgrounds

Your kids may soon be buggin' out while playing baseball for their school's team.

The New York State Senate has approved a bill to ban pesticides on school ballfields and playgrounds.

Gov. David Paterson and the Assembly  would need to approve it, but the bill could become a law since a similar bill was passed in the Assembly last year but failed in the Senate.

New York City's school program states that pesticides should be used as a last resort, and in 2001, all classes of insecticide concentrates and pyrethins were eliminated in all areas of the school, according to beyondpesticides.org.  Nassau County schools have a similar policy.

Chemical companies and the state School Board Association are lobbying against the measure. Chemical companies say their products are higly regulated by state and federal agencies and are safe. 

School officials say the ban would have kids playing in swarms of insects and the law would add extra costs because schools would have to resort to hand-weeding.

Connecticut enacted a similar law banning pesticides on school athletic fields last year, which goes into effect this July.

So, the next time you go watch your kid play baseball ... you might want to think about bringing along some extra bug spray, for you and your child.

Contact Us