Public health and sensitive peninsula/coastal ecosystem health are threatened by San Mateo County's use of toxic pesticides and herbicides on Public lands including the Parks.  (glyphosate, PFAS (forever chemicals), POEAs (3450x more toxic than glyphosate) and now with chemical substitution: potentially... diquat (200x more toxic than glyphosate).

These three organizations: Non-Toxic Neighborhoods, Protect our Watershed SMC, and El Granada Advocates have teamed up to ask the San Mateo County (SMC), California, Board of Supervisors (BOS) to transition the County agencies such as Parks and Department of Public Works off toxic pesticide use. Pesticides by state definition include herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or any "cides" used to kill animal/insect or plant life. See sign-on letter here.

Since October 2023, our coalition has been meeting with Supervisor Mueller, Parks Director Nicholas Calderon and later, Supervisor Pine, proposing our requests.  See 'sign-on' letter of requests here.  In February 2024, they agreed to post more specific and clear pesticide notifications in the Parks, to create an annual Parks pesticide usage report by June 2024, and to amend staff and third party pesticide contracts to prevent tax payer public funds from being spent on pesticide rewards programs. On Nov. 22nd, 2024...Thanks to this petition public pressure, Supervisor Mueller's follow through, and Nicholas Calderon' work, some of the agreements have been met.  We still need pesticide notification posted in ALL areas and staff contracts amended.  Your public support is working!!  Thanks to you!

Public records show the County regularly uses >41% concentrated glyphosate, other herbicides containing PFAS (forever chemicals) and POEAs (3450x more toxic than glyphosate). We are asking for a moratorium on those specific highly toxic pesticides.

Please join us in asking the San Mateo County Public Agencies to follow through with their agreements and to place a moratorium on the use of these highly toxic pesticides. By signing here, you: (1) sign-on to our request letter linked here, (2) ask the Supervisor Mueller, Supervisor Pine, and Nicolas Calderon (Director of Parks), to follow through with their agreements, and (3) request for a moratorium on the highly toxic pesticides.

VAST INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN by pesticide industry DOWNPLAYS PESTICIDE DANGERS, NEUTRALIZE PESTICIDE CRITICS, and PROMOTE POLICIES THE BENEFIT MAKERS OF PESTICIDES, and genetically engineered crops.

Professor Dean Baker, Director of Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, Irvine

Link to our Oct 2023 presentation to our local Coastal Council

Link to Almanac Article regarding unaccountable spraying in La Honda near a creek where residents get drinking water.

EPA Finds Glyphosate harms 93% of endangered species

2024 Update: New Roundup MUCH WORSE: 45x more toxic and 200X with diquat

Dec 2024: Findings indicate glyphosate exposure increases risk of neurodegenerative disease