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Sources: Alarcon et al., "Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools" Journal of the American Medical Association, July 27, 2005, Vol. 294, No. 4; Press Release, July 27, 2005; Schooling of State Pesticide laws-2002 Update, Beyond Pesticides, http://ga4.org/ct/k71YIHE1rR5L/; Chlorpyrifos Facts, PANNA http://ga4.org/ct/911YIHE1rR5A/; "Achieving A Healthy Learning Environment Through Integrated Pest Management," 2003, School Pesticide Reform Protocol, School Pesticide Reform Coalition, http://ga4.org/ct/kp1YIHE1rR5

A study published this summer in the Journal of the American Medical Association underscores the risks of pesticide use in and around the nation's schools. Analyzing 2,593 reported pesticide poisonings in schools and childcare centers between 1998 to 2002, the study reported several troubling findings: incidence rates among children increased significantly from 1998 to 2002; drifting pesticides applied off site were responsible for 31% of reported poisonings; and insecticides and disinfectants were the pesticides most frequently at fault. Study authors note that no federal requirement limits pesticide exposures at childcare centers, elementary or secondary schools, and that their results "should be considered low estimates of the magnitude of the problem because many cases of pesticide poisoning are likely not reported to surveillance systems and poison control centers."

The study, "Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools," examined state surveillance data in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks pesticides program and from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and a national database of calls made to poison control centers in the Toxic Exposure Surveillance Systems. The study reported incidence rates of pesticide related illness of 7.4 cases per million for students and 27.3 cases per million for employees, but emphasized that individuals needed to seek medical care and be reported in order to be counted in the study. Pesticide related illnesses are grossly under-reported for a number of reasons: individuals may not seek or be able to afford medical care, doctors are often not trained to recognize pesticide related illness, and symptoms of minor or even moderate pesticide poisoning can resemble those of other common illnesses.