A new report just released earlier this week by the Oregon Toxics Alliance has proven to make big news. The report reveals that children in Oregon have been exposed to pesticides at schools, bus stops, and playing fields over the past two decades.

The report cites 56 cases of suspected pesticide exposure at schools and child care facilities since 1990. Lisa Arkin, the executive director for OTA, believes that a much larger problem of unreported cases are occurring.

The data for the report was pulled from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and the Oregon Department of Forestry. The data gathered paints a picture of a larger ongoing problem with no laws to protect the most vulnerable of people... our children.

With all the attention given to pesticides and the potential harm that it may cause to our health, Oregon Toxics Alliance is calling for new laws regarding buffer zones for pesticides around schools.

The danger and fear about exposure to pesticide is that the symptoms are not often apparent to adults. " Children are often unaware or cannot express that they have been exposed. Furthermore, acute symptoms often mimic flu or respiratory ailments so teachers and parents simply assume that the problem is a common illness and do not seek medical attention."

You can read the direct report right here.