New California Law Requires Parent Notification of Pesticide Use near Day-Cares

By Christy Burns

Published on January 03, 2007

It’s estimated that more than 60 percent of children aged five and under receive care from someone other than their parents. And according to Environment California, the conservation group that sponsored the legislation, federal studies have discovered that day-care centers have a higher presence of pesticides in dust than private homes.

Caregivers report that they rarely receive inquiries from parents concerned about pesticide use. While the new law might cause some extra work on the part of day-care centers, it also entitles center employees to know about any dangerous chemicals that might be present in their workplace.

Similar to another law passed in California in 2001 requiring notification of pesticide spraying near all schools, the recent state law also compels day-care centers to keep records of all pesticide use for at least four years. In-home family day-cares are exempt from the new rules.

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