Task Force on Pesticides

 Greetings from The University Heights Task Force on Pesticides  We are reaching out to our neighbors, old and new. For tips on non-chemical weed control and troubling facts about pesticides, please download this pdf

Greetings from The University Heights Task Force on Pesticides  We are reaching out to our neighbors, old and new.

Here are tips for non-chemical weed control:

  • Mulching helps with moisture retention and reduction of erosion and soil compaction.

  • Organic mulch is best and includes cedar chips, hardwood bark, and short leaf or long leaf pine needles.  Mulch should be applied 4-6 inches.  Landscape mulches provide better weed control.
    (Mulch may be free at Heman Park.)

  • Inorganic mulch (rock, stone, gravel and landscape fabric) does not break down over time and does not help build up the soil.

  • Plant selection: there are no weed resistant plants. The use of ground covers or densely growing plants can shade out weeds and reduce their growth.  This reduces overall maintenance.

  • Hand weeding and cultivation can be time consuming but it is less expensive and can be reduced with proper plantings.

These are some troubling facts about health effects of pesticides:

  • Chronic low-dose exposure to many pesticides could pose a hazard to the health and development of children.

  • The probability of an effect such as cancer, which requires a period of time to develop after exposure, is enhanced if exposure occurs early in life.

  • The National Academy of Sciences reports that children are more susceptible to chemicals than adults and scientists concur that children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have increased risk of cancer.

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) documents that over 30% of the global burden of disease in children can be attributed to environmental factors such as pesticides.

  • The Harvard University School of Public Health found that children’s exposure to pesticides in and around the home results in an increased risk of developing specified childhood cancers. 

  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of WHO) and several recent court decisions have established a clear link between glyphosate (the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup), non-Hodgkins lymphoma and other cancers. 

  • Unintended consequences to non-targeted plants and animals are of great concern. 

  • The EPA, as well as many state and local regulatory agencies, are not doing enough to protect communities from pesticide exposure. It's important that cities and states act quickly to protect themselves, as has been done in at least 15 localities.

              

 The above facts are from the following sources:

* https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-induced-diseases-database/cancer

* http://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/cities.html

* content/uploads/2020/01/TBI_Poison_Parks_Report._010820_FINAL.pdf

Please contact the U Heights Pesticide Task Force if you would like more information about non-chemical landscaping methods or if you are interested in helping us minimize pesticides used on University City property.  uhgtsassoc@gmail.com or Barbara Chicherio 314-727-8554, Mary Ann Gaston <magaston780@aol.com>.

Pesticides can be breathed in more easily by a person whose face is closer to the ground, whether a crawling baby or a frolicking youngster.

For more information, please download the attached.