Pesticide guide’s removal from site draws complaints

SEATTLE – A King County government program is facing criticism after removing from its Web site a guide to what fruits and vegetables are likely to contain the most pesticides.

At the urging of the agricultural industry, the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program – a coalition of health and hazardous-materials agencies from King County, Seattle and 38 neighboring communities – pulled the information from its Web site early this month and said it would stop printing a wallet-size card describing it.

The information came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

“The design of the card is flawed,” said Jay Watson, who was named program administrator three months ago. “The information was oversimplified.”

The decision infuriated health advocates.

“It is outrageous the pesticide industry is trying to prevent people from getting information that will help them make healthier choices about their food. We urge King County to make the information available to the public,” said Ivy Sager-Rosenthal, environmental health advocate for the Washington Toxics Coalition.

Heather Hanson, executive director of Washington Friends of Farms and Forests, said the consumer guide was “misleading” and “harmed local farmers by saying you shouldn’t buy apples and pears and peaches and the cherries – all leading crops in Washington.”

“It says, ‘Don’t eat locally grown stuff. Eat mangos and bananas.’ ”

“OK, so it doesn’t actually say that,” Hanson said, “but it could sure lead people to that conclusion.”

One side of the card lists suggestions for “how to shop for the safest household products.” The flip side lists “high pesticide risks” and “low pesticide risks.”

Watson said a similar card will be made available at some point, “but I can’t tell you when.”