The Reduced Risk Pest Management Ordinance was passed in Santa Clara County on May 21, 2002, an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Pesticide Use Ordinance, covering all county-owned buildings (over 200), their surrounding grounds, county roads and county parks. The ordinance was passed through the grassroots rank and file efforts of County workers and their union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Locals 715 and 535. The broad-based community group, Pesticide Alternatives Santa Clara County (PASCC) was formed in 1999, when a working coalition of Santa Clara County workers (mainly SEIU Locals 715 and 535) joined with the Environmental Health Committee of the Santa Clara County Medical Association, and with concerned residents, to launch a community effort to endorse six points of a reduced-risk pest management ordinance for the County. Included were physicians, union County workers and other union members from the community, and numerous environmental organizations as well as a broad community base of concerned residents. PASCC secured the endorsement of 170 community groups and 25 labor unions, and gathered 5,000 signatures and letters from residents of Santa Clara County in support of the following six points: 1. Eliminate or reduce pesticide applications on County property.2. Ban the worst pesticides (those linked to cancer, birth defects, reproductive harm or interference with human hormones, and acutely toxic pesticides). 3. Give County employees and public the right to know about pesticide applications in County buildings, their surrounding grounds, County parks, and County roads, e.g.: “Signs shall be posted at least 3 days before application and remain posted at least 4 days after application, except for baits and emergency use of pesticides, which are posted at the time of treatment …” (page 7 of 12 of Ordinance).4. Create a model education program for County employees and facility managers (occupant education).5. Create an IPM committee of community members, County employees (including union members) and County Department heads or administrators to guide implementation of the ordinance. Meetings to be open to the public.6. Ensure that companies hired to do pest management for County buildings and grounds are well-versed in alternative and least-toxic techniques for managing pests and weeds.