The Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law

People are often exposed, without their knowledge or consent, to hazardous pesticides. A new law, passed in 2000, gives New Yorkers the opportunity to receive advance notice before pesticides are used in certain settings so that they can take measures to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law has two major components. The law requires all schools and day care centers in New York State to provide certain types of notification when pesticides are used indoors or on school grounds. For more information about the school notification provisions, click here.

The law also allows counties, and New York City, to adopt local laws requiring notification when pesticides are used on lawns and trees. Currently, state law requires commercial lawn applicators to post signs on treated areas only after they use pesticides. In counties that "opt in" to the state's Neighbor Notification law, commercial applicators must also provide advance notice to neighbors before spraying dangerous pesticides, and homeowners must post signs when they apply lawn pesticides themselves.

Counties can only adopt the specific language set forth in the state law; they are not allowed to pass their own, more stringent laws. NYPIRG has developed a model law based on the state law that counties can use. For more information about the provisions of the county opt-in law, click here. To see which counties have adopted the state's Neighbor Notification law and where campaigns are currently underway, see the map.

Although the Neighbor Notification law does not cover all pesticide applications, this is the strongest notification law in the country and a major step forward for the public's right-to-know. Hundreds of groups and thousands of individuals have fought for this right in New York, including environmental groups, breast cancer groups, and children's health advocates.

Onondaga County's Legislature is going to vote on Neighbor Notification on June 6th and we need your help! If you live in Onondaga County, contact your county legislator at 435.2070 and tell them to vote YES on Pesticide Neighbor Notification and protect your health.