The New York state senate approved a measure to ban pesticides on school and day care playing fields. Grounds superintendents will have to use more organic strategies for taking care of the grass. A lot of schools utilize pesticides to destroy pests, bugs and weeds. However, a number of studies have indicated that exposure to pesticides can increase children’s’ risk for cancer. Pesticides can also exacerbate asthma and trigger seizures.

The bill still needs to get the approval of the assembly and the governor to become law. The Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Pete Grannis stated “pesticides should be kept away from kids.” He went on to say “if something is designed to kill, you have to wonder about its effects.”

The state of Connecticut passed a pesticide ban on school athletic fields that takes effect in July. Perhaps other states will consider passing a similar bill. By the way, school officials in New Jersey and New York City should also consider using bed bug detection dogs to search for bed bugs in the classrooms.