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Pesticide Law: Laced with 2,4-D

By Sukie Wachtendonk

VVAW Madison

On May 5th the Madison, Wisconsin City Council unanimously approved a new pesticide policy described as one of the strongest and most comprehensive in the country.

The new policy culminates months of work by VVAW Agent Orange Outreach Coordinator Sukie Wachtendonk. For many years she has worked in the state of Wisconsin to ban Agent Orange chemicals, assist vets and those domestically exposed in finding adequate medical care, and consistently to speak out to whomever would listen about the harmful effects of herbicides and pesticides used indiscriminately in the environment.

Development of this latest policy was undertaken by VVAW, the Public Health Commission, the Audobon Society and Citizens for a Better Environment following complaints by Sukie and residents of elderly and handicapped housing units in the City of Madison. An agency of the city decided to "contract out" to spray 14 sites Sukie prompted a change in the Madison Parks Department pesticide policy in 1980 when the City covered all the parks in the system with 2,3~D, contaminated the Wachtendonk home and property, and sent Zak into the hospital with a Grand Mal seizure. The EPA and Dept. of Agriculture, after investigations, concluded that "drift from reckless usage of pesticide 2,4~D, contaminated the Wachtendonk's property" and fined the City and the applicator for breaking two federal and two state statutes. Jim and Sukie lost their home on that one and have continually over to avoid re-exposure by chemical-with 2,4~D in combination with other toxins to rid the properties of dandelions. One of these units is adjacent to the Wachtendonk home.

Following that spraying June of 1986, three elderly residents were taken away in ambulances with respiratory failure, another developed large and oozing sores and a rash on her feet, and Kee and Zak Wachtendonk began to seizure (again).

Following the latest incident, there was no choice but to challenge the City one more time on its usage of toxins against dandelions, old folks and kids.

Sukie asked they mayor to initiate a survey of all chemicals used in Madison by City Agencies. The results were frightening. Not only were herbicides—in dangerous concentrations—being used outdoors, but all kinds of pesticides and insecticides were being sprayed in the strangest places indoors, including Diazinon (responsible for killing 26 species of birds in 18 states) in one of the City's municipal wells. City busses, parking ramps and elevators were being sprayed regularly and without warning in very high concentrations. The mayor's office was flabbergasted and the Health Commission and the Commission on the Environment called department managers on the carpet; heads rolled.

Under the new policy:

1. ALL city departments will be committed to managing pest control activities (indoors and out) in such a manner that the safest non-chemical alternatives and the smallest amounts of pesticides possible are employed.
2. Post readily visible signs advising of applications for a period of 24 hours prior to and 48 hours following applications.
3. Use pesticides only "where a pest problem seriously hampers the intended usage of the property or poses a health or safety hazard."
4. Maintain careful records on pesticide usage which must be reported to the Health Dept before applications.
5. Report all citizen complaints regarding usage.
6. Submit an Integrated Pest Management profile for each department for the coming years.
7. Require state certification of all applicators on adverse health effects of pesticides.
8. Private contractors applying pesticides must furnish lists of chemicals used, together with label information and safety data sheets for each product's proposed usage. All are subject to review and rejection by the Health Commission.

The new policy is one more small victory for VVAW Madison in our 12-year war to reduce the re-exposure of vets, our children and others in the domestic population to toxic chemicals. You can do it in your area too! For more information write:

Sukie Wachtendonk
P.O. Box 3472
Madison, WI 53704

Also:

Bookley available on Integrated Pest Management Techniques for home lawns is entitled "Least Toxic Lawn Management," and is available through Bio-Integral Resource Center, Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707.