The Little White Flags Mystery 

Paul Goettlich / May98

[ transcript of meeting between the TruGreen representative and the Montessori Academy (Mishawaka, Indiana) school board below ]

It began one morning as I dropped off my son at his school. Everything looked exactly the same as it always had, the same people driving the same cars and the same teachers coming out at approximately the same times. My son and I usually get there a little early and we play in the car, reading a book or singing songs that he enjoys.

Then in the corner of my eye I saw a little white flag with green printing stuck into the ground. It was one of those pesticide flags that the companies put up to warn people when dangerous chemicals have been sprayed to kill bugs and weeds.

I wondered why the school was doing that—in a place that is supposed to be safe for our innocent children? The little ones trust us to make their world safe for them. If we break that trust, things get complicated. Harsh thoughts like this came to me as my son flew over the front seat headed for the back window to wave excitedly at his friend that just drove up behind us, also waiting now in the queue.

Later that day I asked one of the administrators what poison had been loosed as indicated by the little white pesticide flags. Nobody could tell me what it was. But even without knowing what it was, they could tell me that it was 100% safe for our children. The TruGreen applicator had told them so and they had faith in the applicator’s word. Still, I wanted to know exactly what was being used so that I could be the judge of that information. 

From the day that I asked for the information until I finally go an answer it was months. I fumed each day as we drove up and I would see the little white flags again. I thought I was leaving my son at a place that was unsafe. And looking back now, I realize that I was. I worried about the lack of concern and knowledge of what was being poured onto the ground they played on and into every corner of the interior of the school they sat on during their full days at school. Yet I had work to do, he had to get his lessons, and I wasn’t qualified to teach him at home. Stress built up constantly. I regretted driving to that school each day.

On another morning I was dropping my son off earlier than usual and had to bring him to the cafeteria to join a group of children being watched by a teacher. There was a man spraying the corners of the cafeteria from a metal canister on his back. I asked him what he was spraying and he told me that it was "100% safe for the children."  I took my son out immediately. Later I found out from the company that they were spraying Chlorpyrifos to control ants.

For whatever reason I was getting no response from the school administrators. At a minimum, I wanted to know what the chemicals were. I decided to become more proactive and make a mass mailing to all parents appealing to them to help me. On that very day I got a fax from the head of the school telling me that they would suspend the use of all pesticides until further study could be made and a committee was set up. I would be head of this committee made up of whoever was interested and a few names suggested by the head of the school. It started with a bang and after two meetings it was clear that this subject was not as popular as the new gymnasium or beanie babies. Still, we reached consensus that the use of pesticides for this year is not required and that the study would continue.

The committee is in the learning stage and more people are calling me to join this year. During the last school year we had a surprise visit by a couple representatives of Dow/Elanco pesticide division speak to the committee about what they did for the school last year and what they would like to do this year. One thing they mentioned was that they would change the use of herbicide 2,4-D to Trimec because 2,4-D had "some problems," they were told by their company scientists. But after the meeting I told the committee that the chemical they would replace 2,4-D with, Trimec, contains Dicamba which in turn contains 2,4-D. I am not calling this representative any derogatory names, but what does this look like to you folks reading this?

By the way, the contract proposal from TruGreen for this year cost about the same as the proposal from another treatment company that guaranteed to control pests without the use of toxic pesticides. What’s left now is to get the attention of the purse strings to finalize the method of pest control in the future. My only worry is that once I am no longer at this school as a parent, that they will revert back to the old thoughtless way of using pesticides. The way to avoid this is to enlighten as many people as possible along the way. 

The bottom line here is that there is no end to what one person can do given a goal and some energy, so pick out some area of your life to clean up or take control of. Make the world a better place to live for all of us and you will benefit as well.

• Newspaper Excerpts and Lawsuits of Terminix aka Terminex

Partial transcript of the meeting at the school 
between the TruGreen representative and the school board.

Note: The TruGreen representative proposed a substitution for 2,4-D at our school because there were "some problems with it." He they no longer used 2,4-D because of a review of scientific studies by scientist Roger Yeary, a full-time employee of TruGreen.

This meeting came about because I saw the TruGreen applicator spraying chlorpyrifos in all corners and wall/floor junctions.

School:  Why aren't you using 2,4-D anymore? (Note: As a  substitute for 2,4-D, TruGreen proposed using Barricade, (prodimene). Trimec 959. 28-3-10 granular fertilizer.)

TruGreen: [Roger Yeary (see box at right)] used to be a professor at Ohio State University. At the time we interviewed TruGreen at the school, Roger was their full-time employee, in charge of (tape unclear..) health and safety program located at the technical center, "it's kind of like our R&D center," in Delaware Ohio, north of Columbus. There was (sic) a few reports out in 1987 that looked into 2,4-D, and on some of those he decided that we as a company, would not use that product, until there was more research done on it. That was his decision. Our parent company is Service Master. We do not use any products that are known carcinogens, or probable carcinogens. And that would be established through the EPA, through the International Cancer Association, and there's one more.... I'm just trying to think. It's something like National Toxicology... But as a company company, we don't use any known or probable carcinogens.

School:  Are there any chemicals [in your fertilizer] that are potentially toxic to children? (never answered by TruGreen)

TruGreen: We use Knox or Shaws brand because it's locally produced. No surfactants are used with TruGreen products. The reason for that is that Trimec comes with a surfactant in it.

School:  What is the precaution that needs to be taken? How soon after the area is going to be safe? (never answered by TruGreen)

TruGreen:  If it's a liquid application, ...(sentence not completed)

School: What is the absorption period?

TruGreen:  That time frame is dependant on rainfall.

School: What about the flags.....?

TruGreen: We started using the signs even before they were required. Our feeling is that once the liquid applications is dry, it's safe to go back on the property.

School: Would you say it's safe?

TruGreen: I would say there's negligible risk on that.... you really can't say it's totally safe. You can just say there's minimal risk on that.

School:  One thing that occurs to me is that me is that things are a little different for adults than they are for kids. Kids might eat a piece of grass. ...... I've seen [the kids] eating [the grass] even with the signs up.

TruGreen: Hhhmm. Yup.....   On that type of issue... You know, we treat thousands of lawns across the nation. This has not been a problem for us. [Mindfully.org note: Of course it's not a problem for this salesman, but God help the children!] The other thing is this is the prediluted solution that we put down. ........Our policy is that we do not make any application while school is in session. 

It's either done an hour before, an hour after, or Saturday or some other time frame. We also make applications to adjacent properties one hour prior or after the institution is in session, or any time children are not present on the grounds.

School:  It's nice that you are concerned about the problem. Now, I'm not a scientist, but saying you can do it an hour before school starts sounds kind of strange to me.

TruGreen:  Right. Well, what we're saying is that once it's dry, those residues on that plant wouldn't be tracked in, can't pick them up easily. And therefore, once it's dry, we feel it's safe to go on. It's no problem..... We do the Edison Parkway [with the same applications as being proposed to the school] and it would be convenient to our men to be able to do the school at the same time as the Parkway. 

(note: the Edison Parkway is a divided street with a green median strip that runs all through the area, a distance of maybe 1 mile. It is a block away from the school. TruGreen does their applications at any time of day, regardless of conditions. It could be light rain, sunny or very windy. It takes more than a day to complete the entire stretch of road and occurs during rush hours of morning or afternoon.)

School:  We sent you a packet of information on alternative methods [that use no pesticides]. You haven't mentioned any of that. Please tell us about your alternative methods. What are the options in general?

TruGreen:  Let me back up for a minute. My job for TruGreen is... I'm just the technical side. They divide the country into regions. Each region has a regional manager. Then they have a regional technical manager.  There are 13 of us throughout the US. My position is strictly the technical side. I do the training programs, and I don't do much with the sales part or the marketing. ....... As far as your options... the answer to your question.... When I look at your property, I didn't see many weeds. It looks pretty good. There's not a lot of weeds. There's not real reason we need to put down a broadleaf weed control. We can't do spot control [only areas that need treatment]. You would have to designate areas as being weed-free. You can't turn it on and off. I didn't see a lot out there. You have a thick turf.... Now you guys are in a great area. There might be a certain level of expectation.... you have to live with your neighbors.

School:  Do you use any organic fertilizers [those without toxic synthetic chemicals]?

TruGreen: DPW...  Dehydrated poultry manure. It does smell.

School: Have you heard of the one that is pasteurized?

TruGreen:  I don't know..... You smell it particularly after it rains. It goes away after about a week.

School:  (reading from the promotional brochure) natural organic fertilizer. It's not organic in the sense of organic food, right?

TruGreen: Right.

School: (reading from label) Carbon derived from animal or plant sources. Would this have anything to do with sewage sludge?

TruGreen:  No, not this product. Mill Organite is a sewage sludge.

School:  In sewage sludge you find heavy metals.

TruGreen:  Well, that certainly is a possibility. With the organic fertilizer you could still use a weed control.

The recording goes on with a fair amount of chatter and noise.....