ments - in short, all sectors of the urban community.

Everywhere that man maintains vegetation or provides other food
energy sources on which insects or other "pests" can survive, pesticide
use occurs. The fast that most of these sources remain unassessed as to
pesticide use rates indicates a serious flaw in overall pesticide monitor-
ing programs, particularly since the potential of human exposure to toxic
materials is so great in such environments when compared to the use of
these same substances in non—-urbanized areas.

One attempt co ascertain the degree of pesticide usage in an “urban
area" is a study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency
(14). Total pesticide production for the nation in 1970 was 1.034 billion
pounds, distributed as: 47% insecticides, 39% herbicidas and 14% fungi-
cides. This study estimated that over 750,000 lbs. of active ingredients
were used in the three major metropolitan areas studied, This 750,000 lbs.
was distribured as 68% insecticides, 17% herbicides and 16% fungicides.
Thus, insecticides appear to. find proportionally greater use in urban
areas (Table 1). Extrapolating from this assessment produces an estimate
of 30 million pounds of total pesticide use for urban areas. Roughly 80%
(from Table 1) is used by homeowners. The von Rumker report (14) idenci-
fied lawns as a major targer category. However, two independent studies
done by volunteers in California suggest other uses that appear substan—
tial. They also provide dara concerning user philosophy, background and
source of information.

Pesticide User Surveys

The first report (16) was done by one person in the City of Berkeley,
California. Different areas of the city were sampled and. 85, our of 130
homes approached, participatad. Based on the value of the home, it
appeared that people with higher incomes had fewer "pests," used more
insecticide and had difference "pests" than people with lower income.

‘However, geographic and microclimatic differences could be parcly
responsible for this variation. Conversely, people with lower income had
more "pests," but used less insecticides. Older people (over age 40)
appeared to use more pesticides regularly, but sample size was too small
to make definitive statements. Most of the people sampled fell into the
age group 20 to 40, and interestingly,-almost all (79%) said that recent
concern with environmental maccers had changed their attitude. (This
study was done in 1971). Still, the group reported that more than 25%
used flea collars, 7% ~ snail pellets, 6% chlordane in the garden, and
about 15% used aerosols for flies and roaches. Thus, although environ-
Mental concerns were expressed, pesticide use was still considerable.

In general, upper income homeowners either have a gardener whose job
is viewed as keeping things tidy (insects are untidy). hire a commercial
pest control company for a tegulac treatment (usually monchiy), or do it
themselves with advice from various sources. Homeowners hiring gardeners
generally did not know what specific pesticides were being used on their
premises.