TITLE
Recommendation to amend the City's pest/weed management policy to eliminate the use of products or materials that contain glyphosate(s), including weed abatement sprays such as "Roundup" and "Ranger Pro." Direct City Manager to seek alternative organic products for weed and pest abatement for use by City staff in parks, medians and other areas.
DISCUSSION
Glyphosate is a widely-used herbicide and is the main ingredient in Monsanto's
"Roundup" and "Ranger Pro." The World Health Organization recently found that the chemical glyphosate has potential negative health impacts and can be carcinogenic to humans. On March 28, 2017, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) posted a Notice that glyphosate would be added to the list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer per Proposition 65. On August 10, 2018, a state court in San Francisco, California ruled that Monsanto products "Roundup" and "Ranger Pro" were not adequately labeled to detail potential negative health impacts.
The City of Long Beach should eliminate the use of products or materials that contain glyphosate in order to reduce the community's potential exposure to a carcinogen; to decrease soil chemical contamination by a carcinogen, to bring back nutrient policy that can yield clean, fertile soils; and to reduce the potential risks to community health and the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Impacts may include an increase in material costs to City operations. Funding for the anticipated increase in cost for materials could be discussed and included within the FY 2019 budget. City staff could evaluate and identify all fiscal impacts to update this policy.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERTO URANGA,
SEVENTH DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER DARYL SUPERNAW,
FOURTH DISTRICT
COUNCILWOMAN STACY MUNGO,
FIFTH DISTRICT
COUNCILMAN AL AUSTIN,
EIGHTH DISTRICT