Upscale Southern California Town Halts Use of Landscaping Chemicals Amidst Unusual Cancer Cases
One affluent community in Southern California is taking decisive action in response to an alarming rise in rare cancer cases in children. The town in question, Ladera Ranch, has been grappling with a surge in Ewing sarcoma diagnoses in children, an issue that has been ongoing since 2013 and has seen an uptick in recent years.
Among the afflicted was a 17-year-old boy named Brody Matteson, who tragically lost his life when his cancer treatment led to secondary leukemia.
Community Maintenance Corporation Takes Action
In the wake of these health concerns, the company in charge of community landscaping and maintenance, known as LARMAC, has decided to stop using certain landscaping chemicals related to their work.
LARMAC has set up an ad hoc Landscape Pest Management Advisory Committee, consisting of homeowners and board members, to reassess the current program.
LARMAC issued a statement, saying, "The Board has ordered staff to put a temporary 60-day hold on the regular use of specific landscape maintenance products used for regulating plant growth and weed management."
This temporary halt only concerns routine landscape maintenance applications within the common areas maintained by LARMAC. It does not impact activities necessary for public health and safety, such as controlling rodents or responding to invasive pests.
In addition to this, the Association is also considering how it informs residents about work in the area.
Call for Environmental Investigation
This development took place just a day after the First Assistant US Attorney made a request to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to look into whether environmental factors could be causing the unusual number of childhood cancer cases in Ladera Ranch.
For several months, parents have voiced concerns about the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides across the community's roughly 4,000 acres. They've questioned whether the repeated use of these chemicals could be contributing to the illnesses.
While there's no established connection between the chemicals and the cancer cases, these worries have become a significant motivator for the community's quest for answers.
In a letter sent to the EPA Administrator, the First Assistant US Attorney requested a federal investigation in response to reports that children in the planned community have been diagnosed with rare bone and soft-tissue cancer.
The letter stated, "My office has been made aware of recent reports of multiple pediatric Ewing sarcoma cases within the Ladera Ranch community. Residents are raising concerns about a potential cancer cluster and whether environmental factors may warrant further evaluation."
One affluent community in Southern California is taking decisive action in response to an alarming rise in rare cancer cases in children. The town in question, Ladera Ranch, has been grappling with a surge in Ewing sarcoma diagnoses in children, an issue that has been ongoing since 2013 and has seen an uptick in recent years.
Among the afflicted was a 17-year-old boy named Brody Matteson, who tragically lost his life when his cancer treatment led to secondary leukemia.
Community Maintenance Corporation Takes Action
In the wake of these health concerns, the company in charge of community landscaping and maintenance, known as LARMAC, has decided to stop using certain landscaping chemicals related to their work.
LARMAC has set up an ad hoc Landscape Pest Management Advisory Committee, consisting of homeowners and board members, to reassess the current program.
LARMAC issued a statement, saying, "The Board has ordered staff to put a temporary 60-day hold on the regular use of specific landscape maintenance products used for regulating plant growth and weed management."
This temporary halt only concerns routine landscape maintenance applications within the common areas maintained by LARMAC. It does not impact activities necessary for public health and safety, such as controlling rodents or responding to invasive pests.
In addition to this, the Association is also considering how it informs residents about work in the area.
Call for Environmental Investigation
This development took place just a day after the First Assistant US Attorney made a request to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to look into whether environmental factors could be causing the unusual number of childhood cancer cases in Ladera Ranch.
For several months, parents have voiced concerns about the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides across the community's roughly 4,000 acres. They've questioned whether the repeated use of these chemicals could be contributing to the illnesses.
While there's no established connection between the chemicals and the cancer cases, these worries have become a significant motivator for the community's quest for answers.
In a letter sent to the EPA Administrator, the First Assistant US Attorney requested a federal investigation in response to reports that children in the planned community have been diagnosed with rare bone and soft-tissue cancer.
The letter stated, "My office has been made aware of recent reports of multiple pediatric Ewing sarcoma cases within the Ladera Ranch community. Residents are raising concerns about a potential cancer cluster and whether environmental factors may warrant further evaluation."