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Toxics and the Green Cities Project

 

 

 

 

Basics about Toxics

The Green Cities Project seeks to eliminate toxic substances from our communities, because they limit our attempts at sustainablility. Toxics are usually man-made and mass manufactured chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment and harm living beings.

Many cities have started to ban toxic chemicals within their communities. For example, San Francisco has banned the chemical dioxin within city boundaries.

Other restrictions on toxic chemicals have been enacted. In New York cities, towns and counties have passed restrictions or bans on toxic pesticides, following San Francisco's lead. In New York, municipalities can only control municipally owned property, so the New York bans on pesticides do not affect private applications. This can still serve as a first step, and encourage individuals and businesses to phase-out pesticides as well.

The fortunate aspect of focusing on cities is that grassroots organizing can make a big difference.

Toxics in Troy, New York

Here in Troy, NY the green cities project is taking action on toxics by proposing that the city council adopt our pesticides phase out plan. In November 2000, the green cities project presented a model ordinance and explanation, as well as a cover letter for those two documents, to the city council while they deliberated over the budget for 2001.

Toxics Links

Toxics Use Reduction Institute
Air and Waste Management Association Alternatives to household toxics use.

This website is a part of the Green Cities Project. It is currently being maintained by web@greencitiesproject.org. The last update to this page was made on December 5, 2000.