AGENDA REQUEST AGENDA ITEM NO: IV.B.5. Consent Agenda No. 2. March 21, 2011 BY City Auditor and Clerk Pamela M. Nadalini Mayor Kirschner SUBJECT:

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1 AGENDA REQUEST AGENDA HEADING: Consent Agenda No. 2 COMMISSION MEETING DATE: March 21, 2011 BY City Auditor and Clerk Pamela M. Nadalini Mayor Kirschner AGENDA ITEM NO: IV.B.5. Originating Department SUBJECT: Department Head Presenter Adoption Re: Proposed Resolution No. 11R-2215, advising citizens to use precautions in using household and outdoor chemicals to lessen environmental damage and possible effects on human health especially children, etc. COMMISSION PRIORITIES: Quality of Life EXPLANATION: This item has been placed on the Agenda by Mayor Kirschner. ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION: N/A APPROVAL SUMMARY: Approval Required Date Completed Completed By Status City Auditor and Clerk Approval Y 03/04/2011 Pamela Nadalini APPROVED

2 ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION: AGENDA REQUEST ADDITIONAL ADMIN RECOMMENDATION: FUNDING SOURCE: AMOUNT: HOUSING IMPACT (Per House): NEW CONSTRUCTION: REHABILITATION: SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS: $ 0 $ 0 City Attorney - Robert Fournier Public Works - Doug Jeffcoat City Manager - Robert Bartolotta COMMISSION ACTION: Final Action Motion: Motion By: AGENDA DISPOSITION Second By: Vote: 2

3 RESOLUTION NO. 11R-2215 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SARASOTA, FLORIDA, ADVISING CITIZENS TO USE PRECAUTIONS IN USING HOUSEHOLD AND OUTDOOR CHEMICALS TO LESSEN ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH ESPECIALLY CHILDREN; PROVIDING FOR READING BY TITLE ONLY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Sarasota has become advised of the publication of the President s Cancer Report which raises concerns relative to the health and safety of its citizens; and WHEREAS, this concern is addressed by a recent announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the concentration of targeted chemicals by a certain percent in the general population by 2015; and WHEREAS, citizens should consider following the Precautionary Principle especially in chemical control options when implementing their choices in home and lawn pest control; and WHEREAS, the Precautionary Principle is an approach that requires minimizing or eliminating potential hazards at the onset of prescribed usage instead of an approach that determines an acceptable or unknown level of harm, particularly when young children are present; and WHEREAS, Sarasota City government believes that individual residents have the power to protect the health of current and future generations of Sarasota citizens and to reduce the burden of exposure to environmental home and lawn chemical through their own actions. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SARASOTA, FLORIDA: Section 1. That the City Commission advises citizens and consumers who want to reduce risk to environmental exposure to use sustainable pest control methods to remove sources of food, water, and shelter for reduction of pests and to reduce or eliminate pest problems coupled with consideration of the Precautionary Principle if chemical control options are selected.

4 Section 2. That the City Commission recommends citizens consider selecting plants adapted to their yards and resistant to pest problems, avoid problematic and invasive plants, and properly install and maintain plants to reduce reliance on watering, fertilizer and pesticide/herbicide applications. Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect immediate upon adoption. Adopted by the City Commission of the City of Sarasota, Florida, upon reading by title only, after posting on the bulletin board at City Hall for at least three (3) days, as authorized by Article IV, Section 2, of the Charter of the City of Sarasota, Florida, this 21st day of March, CITY OF SARASOTA Attest: Mayor Kirschner, Mayor Pamela M. Nadalini City Auditor and Clerk

5 We are very proud of Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners which passed the precautionary approach by resolution on September 28, 2010 The Sarasota County Board of Commissioners having become advised of the publication of the 2010 President s Cancer Report has concerns relative to the health and safety of its citizens; Sarasota Citizens should consider the precautionary approach before using home and lawn chemicals when young children are present, thereby eliminating a potential hazard, rather than accepting a level of risk

6 Publication of the 2010 President s Cancer Panel Report (NCI) The 2010 President s Cancer Panel Report is entitled: Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk This is an important scientific document that calls for advising citizens to use the precautionary approach to chemical use when children are present. In a great many cases, we know enough to act now (from the executive summary of the 2010 Presidents Cancer Panel Report)

7 Sarasota County became the first county in Florida to pass the precautionary approach To use Scientific Certainty to prove a chemical safe, especially to children, not relatively safe, but safe period. That is the Precautionary Approach. Regarding chemical pesticides, in Canada and many European countries, the precautionary approach is the rule but not in the USA. In the United States, the precautionary approach has been passed by the cities of San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, two counties in California, Sarasota County, Florida, and several national organizations. The City of Sarasota will be among the first to adopt the precautionary approach and an example to the rest of Florida

8 Temple Beth Sholom, Sarasota, Florida ADOPTS PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH Temple Beth Sholom, and its schools, became the first local institution to pass the precautionary approach, recommending that when young children are present, to eliminate chemical control options, rather than accepting an unknown level of risk

9 USCJ United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism ADOPTS PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH USCJ precautionary approach resolution USCJ United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism asks that research regarding the potential of widely used toxic chemicals to cause harm to children be conducted

10 AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION (ANA) ADOPTS PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH The American Nurses Association s (ANA) precautionary approach resolution The precautionary approach states that if it is within one s power, there is an ethical imperative to prevent, rather than merely treat disease, even in the face of scientific uncertainty. The ANA Board of Directors adopted the precautionary approach.

11 The 2010 President s Cancer Panel Report This very important report to the President of the United States is entitled: REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER RISK Published in conjunction with the: US Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Health National Cancer Institute

12 The President s Cancer Panel reports that Regulation of Environmental Contaminants is the problem. According to the leading scientists and physicians in the United States who contributed to the 2010 Presidents Cancer Panel Report, the regulation of environmental contaminants is the core of the problem.

13 The 2010 President s Cancer Panel report U.S. regulation of environmental contaminants is rendered ineffective by five major problems: Too often, these factors, either singly or in combination, result in agency dysfunction and a lack of will to identify and remove hazards. (1) Inadequate funding and insufficient staffing, (2) Fragmented and overlapping authorities (3) Excessive regulatory complexity, (4) Weak laws and regulations (5) Undue industry influence. Executive Summary, The 2010 President s Cancer Panel report is available from the US National Cancer Institute s Web site at: ANNUAL REPORT This document examines the impact of environmental factors on cancer

14 The 2010 President s Cancer Panel report Regulatory dysfunction Regulation of Environmental Contaminants The prevailing regulatory approach in the United States is reactionary rather than precautionary.

15 The 2010 President s Cancer Panel report Regulatory dysfunction Regulation of Environmental Contaminants Reactionary rather than precautionary That is, instead of taking preventive action when uncertainty exists about the potential harm a chemical or other environmental contaminant may cause, a hazard must be incontrovertibly demonstrated before action to ameliorate it is initiated. Moreover, instead of requiring industry or other proponents of specific chemicals, devices, or activities to prove their safety, the public bears the burden of proving that a given environmental exposure is harmful.

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17 The 2010 President s Cancer Panel Report on Endocrine disrupting chemicals Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can possibly disrupt the hormones produced by the human or animal endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction. There are impact of exposures to chemicals during key windows of vulnerability such as the prenatal period, early life, and puberty which are not well understood. EPA is undertaking a new testing program to identify whether chemicals have the potential to interact with the endocrine system

18 Endocrine disrupting chemicals Endocrine disruptors represent a serious health concern for the American people, especially children. EPA Admin Lisa P. Jackson. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are non selective. Non Selectivity - If a pesticide mode of action is as an endocrine disruptor affecting target insects, the chemical could adversely affect children in a similar way. Regarding endocrine disrupting chemicals, it is up to our local institutions to educate citizens on the precautionary approach.

19 As a precautionary approach, EPA has identified a list of 134 chemicals that will be screened for their potential as endocrine disrupting chemicals In a precautionary approach EPA will issue test orders to pesticide registrants and the manufacturers of these chemicals to compel them to generate data to determine whether their chemicals may disrupt the estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways of the endocrine system, that includes validation of the science through a transparent scientific review process. Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program ( EDSP) decisions for pesticide active ingredients is expected to be available by the end of More information:

20 In a great many cases, we know enough to act now (from the executive summary of the 2010 Presidents Cancer Panel Report) The goals of the precautionary approach Teach citizens how to make management decisions based on the precautionary approach when using chemicals. Citizens can determine the relative safety of chemicals by requesting the Material Safety Data Sheet ( MSDS) of each pesticide before approving the use of the chemical.

21 Precautionary approach starts with reviewing the current science Presidents Cancer Panel Report at National Cancer Institute (NCI) (2010) School of Medicine of Harvard University, Department of Neurology and Pediatrics, Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder linked to Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides. (2009) Journal of American Medical Association, Acute Illnesses Associated with Pesticide Exposure at Schools (2005) University of Massachusetts Toxic Chemicals and Childhood Cancer: (2003)

22 Recognition of my long standing effort of environmental protection. In my opinion, the precautionary approach is the only balanced solution. National Environmental Leadership Awards 2005 Gulf Guardian Award US Environmental Protection Agency 2008 Gulf Guardian Award US Environmental Protection Agency Local Environmental Leadership Awards 1995 State of Florida Environmental Awareness Award (FNGLA) 2003 Sarasota County Environmental Conservation Award 2006 Life Achievement Award for Environmental Education (PCM) National Awards for Product Innovation and Technology 2002 Florida Most Innovative New Product Award (Governors Enterprise Florida) 2004 National Award for Most Innovative New Product of the United States (NSPE) 2004 National Award for the Allied Associate of the Year (ANLA)

23 Precautionary Approach Thank you for your consideration of making citizens aware of the precautionary approach towards use of chemicals around children.