sfenvironment.org

Precautionary Principle

Achievements Legislation & Initiatives Reports Partners Priorities Public Awareness Presentations Links

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It's a good idea to avoid using potentially harmful products if safer alternatives are available. And it isn't right that everyday citizens bear the risk of harm from products or practices that might be hazardous. That's why the city has adopted a Precautionary Principle Ordinance that doesn't merely ask if a product is safe; it also asks if the product is necessary in the first place. The precautionary approach seeks to minimize harm by using the best available science to identify safer, cost-effective alternatives.

Achievements

In June 2006 the San Francisco Department of the Environment received a Pioneer of Precaution Award at the "Taking Precautionary Action" Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. By passing an ordinance in San Francisco, other cities and counties were catalyzed into action and crafted their own version of precautionary legislation. Specific examples include the Cities of Portland, Oregon, Berkeley, California as well as in Mendocino County.

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Legislation & Initiatives

Environment Code: In 2003, Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. and the Board of Supervisors pulled a number of groundbreaking environmental ordinances from the cumbersome Municipal Code and created a separate and easily accessible set of laws for the City and County of San Francisco called the Environment Code.

Precautionary Principle Ordinance: (Chapter 1) In 2003, the Mayor and Board of Supervisors adopted as the first Chapter of the Environment Code the Precautionary Principle, which serves as the guiding model for future legislation.

Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance: (Chapter 2) In 2005, implementation of the Precautionary Principle was formally initiated with the application of the Precautionary guidelines to all commodities purchased by the City.

Treated Wood Ordinance: (Chapter 13) An alternatives assessment for pressure-treated wood used in City operations led to an ordinance banning most City purchases of arsenic treated wood.

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Reports

Precautionary Principle White paper
Precautionary Principle 3-year reportReview of SF's Implementation of the Precautonary Purchasing Ordinance (July 2005-2007)

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Partners

The city is indebted to the many organizations and partners who helped in the effort to adopt the Precautionary Principle Ordinance, including a few that were most particularly involved in the process.

Bay Area Working Group on the Precautionary Principle
San Francisco Foundation
Science and Environmental Health Network
Center for Environmental Health

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Priorities

Sf Environment has been working with other City agencies to implement the precautionary principle within City government for the past three years. Efforts are underway to expand precautionary thinking to decisions made across City departments and to pay special attention to the tenets of meaningful public participation and alternatives assessment.

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Public Awareness

Many articles have appeared in the press around the precautionary principle. Below are a few that capture the range of issues surrounding the precautionary approach both locally and in Europe:

SF Chronicle: Opinion editorial by SF Environment director Jared Bluemenfeld

SF Chronicle article: Better safe than sorry

Precautionary Principle esasy by Michael Pollan

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Presentations

Other local and state governments are curious about the precautionary principle movement and why it generates so much discussion about its merits and its challenges. When asked, here's how our city staffers respond, with two presentations they've developed for just such occasions.

Powerpoint: General Precautionary Principle talk
Powerpoint: Precautionary Principle and Integrated Pest Management

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Links

Rachel's Network
Precautionary Resource Guide
Mendocino County Precautionary Principle Group
Bay Area Working Group on the Precautionary Principle
Science and Environmental Health Network
Critiques of the Precautionary Principle

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