City of Chula Vista adopts pollution prevention policy

provided by the Environmental Health Coalition

ast month the Chula Vista City Council voted to adopt a municipal Pollution Prevention Policy. The Policy will require city departments to evaluate their use of toxic and hazardous materials and develop plans for reducing their use of these substances, reducing toxic exposures to city workers and the public. The Policy is the culmination of a multi-year Municipal Pollution Prevention project conducted by the city in partnership with Environmental Health Coalition (EHC). Chula Vista is the first city locally, and one of the first in the country, to formally adopt pollution prevention as a city policy.

EHC obtained a grant from Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation in 1993 to: (a) audit the use of toxic products in City operations; (b) make recommendations for reducing the use of toxic materials used in City operations; and (c) create a model for other cities to follow. EHC selected the City of Chula Vista for the project because of its record of environmental leadership.

Pollution Prevention is the best environmental strategy because reducing or eliminating the use of toxic materials reduces their hazards at every stage: manufacturing, transportation, use and disposal. Most pollution prevention initiatives are aimed at manufacturing industries or businesses such as auto shops that use toxic materials in their work. However, use of toxics occurs in substantial quantities in other settings, such as municipalities, churches and hospitals. Toxics typically used by cities include pesticides for buildings and parks, chlorine gas for swimming pool disinfection, lead-based street paints and heavy-duty cleaners. The benefits of reducing institutional use of toxics include a healthier working environment for employees and the visiting public, a contribution towards improved environmental quality and encouraging the growth of businesses which provide least-toxic services and products:

Some cost savings are expected as well. EHC worked with City staff to evaluate the City's use of toxics. Among the audit findings:
The City had already made significant reductions in its use of toxics. Virtually all building paints and coatings are now water based; chlorine gas has been replaced by liquid chlorine bleach at City swimming pools, and pesticide use has been reduced at City buildings and parks.
24 different pesticide applications were identified, with annual total of 15,700 pounds. The highest priority for phase-out of all pesticides is the herbicide 2,4-D, a suspect carcinogen, which is used in two formulations at Marina Park.
The single largest use of a toxic material is the gasoline dispensed to City vehicles from the fuel tank at the City operations yard. The City is now engaged in testing alternatives to gasoline-powered vehicles for City fleets.

The Policy was adopted by a unanimous vote of all Council members present: Mayor Shirley Horton and Councilmembers Scott Alevy, Steve Padilla and Jerry Rindone. Councilman John Moot was not present for the vote. Environmental Health Coalition applauds the Chula Vista City Council and staff for continuing environmental leadership.