Date line 03/10/2000

Arcata City Council unanimously voted to ban the use of pesticides on city property. Unlike other California cities that have started a phased reduction of pesticides, Arcata passed an outright ban on all pesticide use.

The measure directs the city staff to enact a pest control management plan that uses non-toxic methods and materials. The plan will educate other public and private property owners about non-toxic methods of pest control.

The ordinance bans the use of fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, dessicants, defoliants, nematicides, and other material used as pesticides. Arcata has had an informal ban on these pesticides for the past 15 years, but the outright ban was made official in February of this year.

One city official was quoted as saying “Arcata is proving that the pest problem can be solved without harming people or the environment, this will surely serve as a model for other cities that care about their communities health and safety.”

By using non-toxic methods the city is able to retain a large amount of resources that would otherwise be used in the training and paperwork that is required for the use of pesticides. According to Arcata’s Park Superintendent the non-toxic methods can be just as effective as the use of pesticides.

Arcata-based Californians for Alternatives to Toxics who helped draft the ordinance said, “We’re happy to see this city create an outstanding program that other cities can adopt for their own use.”