>>> I MAY BE GIST THAT THE
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IS
EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW ORGANIC
PESTICIDES FOR USE IN CITY
PARKS.
IDEA KEEP KIDS SAFE.
"ACTION NEWS" REPORTER CHAD
PRADELLI HAS THE STORY.
>> REPORTER: THEY ARE A HAVEN
FOR CHILDREN, A PLACE TO SWING
AND PLAY, BUT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP NONTOXIC
NEIGHBORHOOD SAY CANCER
CAUSING PESTICIDES ARE IN THE
SOIL OF THE CITY PARKS.
>> WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA DOES NOT
HAVE A PESTICIDE POLICY, WE
WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT.
>> REPORTER: NATIONAL
ORGANIZERS KIM CANTI IS
WORKING WITH THE CITY TO BEGIN
A MOVEMENT TO USE ORGANIC
PESTICIDES.
MOST PARENTS DO NOT EVEN THINK
OF PESTICIDES WHEN THEY USE
CITY PARKS.
>> I WAS THAN THE AWARE.
>> I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO
AFFECT MY CHILD'S HEALTH OR
ME.
>> REPORTER: TODAY SHE, COUNTS
IT WOMAN CINDY BASS AND
SPONSORS ANNOUNCED A $35,000
PILOT PROGRAM TO USE ORGANIC
PESTICIDES ON TWO CITY PARKS.
FERNHILL AND VERNON IN
GERMANTOWN.
>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE
WITH THE CITY ON HAVE
PHILADELPHIA, WE DO WHAT WE DO
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE
ALWAYS DONE.
>> REPORTER: CITY USES ROUND
UP AND SPEED ZONE WEED KILLERS
AND OTHER APPLICATIONS.
TWO ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CAUSED
CANCER BUT HOW OFTEN THEY ARE
APPLIED TO CITY PARKS AND HOW
MUCH, NO ONE CAN REALLY SAY.
>> THE OTHER 104 CITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY WHO ARE CURRENTLY
SEVERELY RESTRICTING OR
BANNING TOXIC PESTICIDES.
>> BASS SAYS THOSE MORE TOXIC
APPLICATIONS ARE CHEAPER THAN
ORGAN ORGANICS BUT SHE SAID
THAT IS NOT TRUE.
BASS, PARKS OR RECREATION OR
CANTI COULD PROVIDE DOLLAR
FIGURES FOR THE CITY BUT THEY
AGREED.
>> WHATEVER THE NUMBERS ARE,
THEY CANNOT COMPENSATE FOR THE
LOSS OF LIFE FROM CANCER.
>> REPORTER: PARKS AND
RECREATION SPOKESWOMAN
RELEASED A STATEMENT TO
"ACTION NEWS" DEFENDING ITS
USE OF CERTAIN PESTICIDES BUT
ADDING WE APPRECIATE THE
CONTINUED ADVOCACY OF
RESIDENTS ON THE ISSUE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO ASSESSING
THE RESULTS OF THE ORGANIC
HERBICIDE FIELD TESTING TO SEE
HOW ORGANIC ALL THE TURNTIVES
CAN BE USED MORE WIDELY ACROSS
THE PARK SYSTEM.
COUNCIL WOMAN BASS SAYS IT
WILL TAKE SOMETIME TO TURN OUR
CITY PARKS, PESTICIDE FREE,
AND SHE ENVISIONS IT COU
