Malibu Bans Pesticides at Public Spaces

Malibu, CA — In a unanimous vote Monday, the Malibu City Council agreed to immediately ban the use of pesticides in public spaces.

The vote, which also banned rodenticides and herbicides, came after a five-hour city council meeting that stretched into early Tuesday morning. Around 24 Malibu residents were there to speak in favor of the ban.

"I think it’s our responsibility that we shouldn’t be using these in our parks, and stop this experiment on our kids,” councilman Skylar Peak said. Peak also wore a homemade T-shirt with the phrase "Poison Parks Kill" printed on it at the meeting.

He also made a motion for the city to send a letter to Southern California Edison asking the utility to stop using pesticides around their electrical poles.

The current Parks and Recreation Department contractor estimated that it would cost between $20,000 to nearly $1 million a year to use alternative pest-control options.

Mayor Laura Rosenthal balked at this.

“It’s not going to cost a million dollars," she said. "I think that’s outrageous."

City Manager Reva Feldman said she will get quotes from other providers.