The Capistrano Unified School District in southern California has halted the routine use of pesticides and herbicides on its campuses for 60 days as concerns grow over a cluster of rare childhood cancer cases in Orange County.
The district includes Ladera Ranch, where 12 children and young adults have been diagnosed since 2023 with Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that develops in the bones or soft tissue, primarily affecting children.
Many families believe the official count doesn’t capture the extent of the health issues affecting children in the area, according to the New York Post. Other children have had rare illnesses and pets have developed early cancer.
The decision to suspend pesticide spraying comes weeks after hundreds of residents packed a Ladera Ranch community meeting demanding answers about the link to possible pesticide exposure and the children’ s illnesses, local news station KTLA 5 reported.
During the pause, the district will review the products currently approved for use and maintain campus landscapes using preventative management practices and manual weed removal. It is considering a resolution that would establish an annual review of the herbicides and pesticides used in the district’s landscape maintenance program and encourage the use of safer alternatives.
It also plans to provide families with a frequently asked questions document explaining the review process and the policy changes being considered.
The possible link between pesticide use and the cancer cluster in Ladera is shining a national spotlight on the use of pesticides in and around schools as tens of millions of children across the country kick off the school year.
Hellbound and Down 