The Capistrano Unified School District has imposed a 60-day pause on the routine use of landscape chemicals, including herbicides and pesticides, while it reviews the products currently in use. The decision follows mounting pressure from parents and residents in the Ladera Ranch community who are seeking answers about a reported cluster of rare childhood cancers. Hundreds of residents attended a community meeting, expressing concerns about potential health risks associated with chemical use on school campuses and in public spaces.
Since 2007, approximately nine children with ties to the Ladera Ranch community have been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer that predominantly affects children and young adults. Families and advocates suggest that the official count may not fully represent the extent of the issue. Health officials have stated that no environmental cause has been identified, but many families suspect that years of pesticide and herbicide application in the master-planned community could be a contributing factor.
The concerns have been amplified by personal tragedies. Seventeen-year-old Brody Matteson died in March 2026 after a nearly two-year battle with Ewing sarcoma, having been diagnosed shortly before his 16th birthday. His mother, Megan Matteson, has become a prominent voice advocating for answers. Lily Dalton, 23, also succumbed to Ewing sarcoma in January 2026, shortly after graduating college. Her father, Brian Dalton, has urged for environmental testing.
The scope of concern extends beyond Ewing sarcoma. Jessica Keetch reported that her 18-year-old daughter, Haven, who also lives in Ladera Ranch, developed synovial sarcoma, another rare cancer, and subsequently lost a leg. Kira Davis, a Ladera Ranch resident, shared her experience of her dog developing a brain tumor and going blind, raising fears that the illnesses might not be limited to humans. Other neighbors have reportedly shared similar stories about their pets.
This action by the school district follows a similar move by the Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation (LARMAC), which manages landscaping for the community. Last month, LARMAC announced a 60-day pause on certain landscape maintenance products used for weed management and plant growth regulation. LARMAC has also established an advisory committee to review its pest management program.
During the pause at Capistrano Unified campuses, grounds crews will continue maintenance using preventive landscaping, mechanical and manual weed removal, and other alternative methods. The Capistrano Unified Board of Trustees is expected to consider a resolution requiring annual reviews of herbicides and pesticides used in the district's landscape maintenance program and encouraging the evaluation of safer alternatives. The district plans to provide a frequently asked questions document to families detailing the review process and proposed policy changes.
While district officials have not directly linked the pesticide review to the cancer cases, they acknowledged resident concerns regarding landscaping products. The growing alarm has prompted action at the federal level. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has requested that the Environmental Protection Agency investigate potential environmental factors contributing to the reported cancer cases and whether any federal environmental laws have been violated.