The Orchard Hills community in Irvine, CA, is a development that places its homes among The Irvine Company's avocado orchards, giving its residents amazing views and a secluded atmosphere, but it also brings them in close proximity to the pesticides/herbicides they use on those orchards.  Some homes are no more than 200 feet away from workers in full hazmat suits, driving trucks that spray a green liquid over the tops of the trees.

Pesticides can drift over a quarter mile (1320 feet), and with the orchards being well above the roof-lines of most of the homes, it's not unreasonable to think that these chemicals are settling on playgrounds, pools, and backyards.

All pesticides are harmful, just in varying degrees.  Long term effects include: cancer, tumors, brain and nervous system damage, birth defects, infertility, damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs and other body organs.  Short term effects include: irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, headache, nausea, dizziness and diarrhea.

The list of chemicals used in the orchards, owned by the Irvine Company, operated by Irvine Valencia Growers, are:

IRVINE RANCH - ORCHARD OPERATIONS
CHEMICALS LIST

Herbicides:
Glyphosate (Round-Up, Glphyos Extra)
Princep Caliber 90

Pesticides:
Success Naturalyte
Supreme 415 Oil
Agri-Mex 0.15
Veretran D
PCQ Bait (Diphacinone Granules)
Rait Bait Block (Diphacinone Blocks)
Diazinon G-14

Fertilizers:
Nutri-Phite
Sulfuric Acid Fertilizer
Urea Ammonium Nitrate 32%
Urea Solution 46%
Potassium thiosulfate
Zinc 9% Solution
Gypsum

Fungicides:
Copper Count N Solution
Tri Basic Copper Sulfate 53%

That first one, Glyphosate, has been in use for over 40 years and only recently has been tangled in multiple legal battles for causing cancer.  Even with the monetary might of Monsanto/Bayer, manufacturer of Glyphosate, the victims of these cases are winning their lawsuits.  The latest to the tune of $2 billion.

I state again: ALL PESTICIDES/HERBICIDES ARE HARMFUL!

To protect our environment, our health, and our future, we urge The Irvine Company to immediately stop using all pesticides/herbicides in their orchards and make them Certified Organic.