Philadelphia City Council has expressed concern over the Parks and Recreation department’s non-compliance with a law enacted in 2020 that prohibits the use of chemical herbicides in public spaces.
Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad labeled these chemicals as “poison,” emphasizing that there is no justification for their use, especially given the existing legislation that restricts them in city-owned parks, playgrounds, and recreational areas.
At a recent City Council hearing, Ahmad questioned the reasoning behind the department’s disregard of the law, stating, “I do not understand why we are having to rehash this all over again because it is abundantly clear this is poison.
We don’t need it.”
The legislation, known as HOPS—short for “Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces”—prohibits the application of chemical herbicides across all city-owned recreational facilities.
It also mandates that the Department of Parks and Recreation report its usage of any pesticides to City Council on an annual basis.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Slawson defended the department’s actions, citing attempts to utilize natural herbicides and even goats for weed management, but admitted that these methods have yet to prove effective.
She stated, “Our application of synthetic herbicides is based on guidance from an extensive network of natural and local subject matter experts, such as environmental scientists and well-respected practitioners.”
During the hearing, Dr. Linda Stern of the group Toxic Free Philly provided testimony as a medical professional with extensive experience treating veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
Stern revealed that the Parks and Recreation department regularly sprays one of the herbicide’s active ingredients on playgrounds, bringing additional alarm to the issue.
She pointed out that glyphosate, the most commonly used pesticide globally, is applied in significant quantities within Philadelphia.
Highlighting the potential health hazards, Stern referenced scientific research that associates glyphosate exposure with severe health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, and employees who apply these chemicals.
Notably, the World Health Organization categorizes glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen,” though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims that proper usage does not pose a risk to human health—a stance that has faced judicial scrutiny.
Councilmember Jim Harrity, a former city highway worker, praised the provision of protective gear like gloves and respirators for workers applying toxic chemicals, but he questioned the rationale behind using these substances at all.
He expressed concern about whether adequate time is given for the chemicals to dry before allowing children access to treated areas.
Former Mayor Jim Kenney, who did not sign the bill in 2020, had requested that City Council find a compromise, a request that ultimately did not materialize, leading to the law’s implementation without his endorsement.
Commissioner Slawson reiterated the department’s ongoing collaborations with multiple organizations to discover a natural alternative for herbicide application; however, she conceded that efforts like utilizing goats to clear weeds have not completely eradicated the problem, resulting in regrowth.
Among those voicing concerns was 19-year-old Nasir Johnson, a cancer survivor who linked his leukemia diagnosis to the use of herbicides on city property.
Johnson recounted a painful experience from his youth, stating, “I grew up playing basketball at Lonnie Young Center when I was 14.
I started to feel short of breath when I played basketball one morning.
I woke up with a bruise on my face.
It came out of nowhere. My mother was concerned and took me to a doctor; it turned out I had leukemia.
I was laid up at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for over a year, undergoing 45 blood transfusions and nine operations.
I’m glad to say I’ve been in remission for three years now, but I lost a year and a half of my life.
We don’t know for sure, but if there’s any chance the herbicide sprayed on the courts to control weeds is causing my cancer, there is no good reason to keep using them.”
As of now, no conclusive plan of action has been established, although both parties agreed to revisit the issue in the fall.
image source from：https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-parks-herbicides-pesticides/
