A new online service makes it easy for King County families to find a park where they can play without concern about pesticides.

“Providing this information in one place helps parents learn more about pesticide use and recognizes the work of maintenance staff who are reducing the use of chemicals in parks,” said Dave Galvin, Hazardous Waste Program Manager.

The Pesticide-Free Places website, www.HazWasteHelp.org/Pesticide-FreePlaces, is provided through a partnership between the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, King County Parks, Seattle Parks and Recreation and suburban cities.

The map helps parents and caregivers find outdoor areas across King County where pesticide use has either been eliminated or is strictly limited – and new places are continually being added to this list.

Kids are most at risk from exposure toxic chemicals like pesticides as they crawl, role and play on lawns – and chemical exposures can have life-long impacts.

Parks staff from across King County are working to keep employees and visitors safe, while protecting streams, Puget Sound and the animals that call these places home.

The “pesticide-free” designation means that no EPA-registered pesticides are used in the maintenance of the park or recreation area and that integrated pest management techniques are used to tackle noxious weeds. “Pesticide-reduced” places identified on the map are those places that don’t have pesticides on lawns or in children’s play areas.

King County Parks manages more than 26,000 acres of parks and natural lands; of the 189 total sites, 102 are pesticide free and 87 are pesticide reduced.

Cities that manage their parks pesticide-free or with limited pesticide use are Auburn, Kenmore, Medina, Newcastle, Redmond, SeaTac and Snoqualmie.

For help with pesticide alternatives, call the Garden Hotline at 206-633-0224, or visit www.GrowSmartGrowSafe.org.