April 18, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio
City Hall

New York, NY 10007

Dear Mayor de Blasio,

On behalf of our constituents, we are writing to convey our profound concerns relating to the use of glyphosate-based herbicides being sprayed within New York City.
Neighborhoods and parks throughout New York continue to be treated with the toxic pesticide RoundUp and other glyphosate- and surfactant-based products. The spraying of these products, done with the expressed goal of killing weeds, is raising serious alarm amongst residents and city workers who may be unknowingly exposing themselves and their families to harmful chemicals.

Last year, a California jury found that RoundUp contributed to toxic and carcinogenic effects and awarded $78 million to a sole plaintiff who was exposed to the pesticide while working as a groundskeeper. While the case is on appeal, the jury in the original trial held the producer of RoundUp, Monsanto, was responsible for the worker’s terminal cancer. A federal jury in a separate case reached the same conclusion just last month, and hundreds of cases have yet to be heard involving plaintiffs seeking damages for adverse health effects caused by contact with and exposure to Roundup. Significantly, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of the
World Health Organization, classified glysophate as "Probably Carcinogenic to Humans" in 2015.

The IARC concluded that the chemical likely causes a range of cancers, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, renal cancers, skin cancers and pancreatic cancer. These concerns regarding Roundup's long-term safety should give us serious pause.

We welcome your help in developing and supporting agency rules and legislation that minimizes potential exposure, provides sufficient community notification prior to
spraying, requires publishing of herbicide application citywide, and permits pesticide use only as a clear last resort, not as the first and easiest option. Instead of using glyphosate, we must encourage the city to explore using non-toxic weed control in partnership with
local communities.

The Council of The City of NewYork

Until such time as these policies and procedures can be codified by the City Council and relevant agencies, we call for the City of New York to place an immediate moratorium on this pesticide's use.

Sincerely,

Carlina Rivera
Council Member, District 2

Ben Kallos
Council Member, District 5

Mark Levine
Council Member, District 7

Diana Ayala
Council Member, District 8

Francisco Moya
Council Member, District 21

Daniel Dromm
Council Member, District 25

Laurie A. Cumbo
Council Member, District 35

Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.
Council Member, District 36