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Pesticides: Controlling Pests
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools

As part of International Healthy Schools Day on April 7th, the Council of Educational Facility Planners offered a checklist (PDF format, 34 KB, 1 page) for schools to consider in making their schools healthier. Exit EPA disclaimer

Protecting Children in Schools from Pests and Pesticides

a grade school student reading from a book to other classmates in their classroom

"Childhood exposure to pesticides is an environmental health risk facing children today. We are very focused on helping communities address this problem."

    Christie Todd Whitman, Administrator
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

One of EPA's highest priorities is protecting children's health from unnecessary exposure to pesticides that are used in their schools to control pests. EPA is encouraging school officials to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to reduce children's exposure to pesticides.

Pesticides Pose Potential Risks in Schools

Your school community may be exposed to pests, as well as the pesticides used to control these pests. Pesticides can help control pests but they need to be used carefully. Children may be more sensitive to pesticides than adults. Young children, especially, may have different exposures than adults - - they can encounter pesticides by crawling, exploring, or hand-to-mouth activities.

Since children spend so much of their day at school, you have an opportunity to create a safer learning environment for them - to reduce their exposure to potentially harmful pests and to the pesticides used to control these pests.

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Is There a SAFER Way to Control Pests?

School administrators and others who have decision-making responsibilities for pest management in and around school buildings and grounds should know that safer options exist.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a safer, and usually less costly option for effective pest management in the school community. A school IPM program employs commonsense strategies to reduce sources of food, water and shelter for pests in your school buildings and grounds. IPM programs take advantage of all pest management strategies, including judicious careful use of pesticides when necessary.

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How Do You Know if Your School Is REALLY Using IPM?

IPM is:

  •     Effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management.
  •     Program that relies on a combination of common sense practices.
  •     Management strategy based on communication and education, and supported by a
        committed and empowering school administration.
  •     Partnership between the school community (including concerned parents) and a qualified
        pest management professional who can both implement and communicate about IPM.
  •     Elimination or reduction of the reasons that insects, rodents, and plants become pests.
  •     Knowledge of when and how to remedy pest problems.
  •     Prevention of pest entry into school facilities.
  •     Integration of cultural, mechanical, and lowest-impact chemical control technologies.

Examples of IPM Practices:

  •     Vegetation, shrubs and wood mulch should be kept at least one foot away from structures.
  •     Cracks and crevices in walls, floors and pavement are either filled or eliminated.
  •     Lockers and desks are emptied and throughly cleaned at least twice yearly.
  •     Food-contaminated dishes, utensils, surfaces are cleaned by the end of each day.
  •     Garbage cans and dumpsters are cleaned regularly.
  •     Litter is collected and disposed of properly at least once a week.
  •     The problem or pest is identified before taking action.
  •     Fertilizers should be applied several times (e.g.,spring, summer, fall) during the year, rather
        than one heavy application.
  •     If pesticides are necessary, use spot treatments rather than area-wide applications.
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Here is How You Can Get Started

There are several resources available that provide excellent reference information where you can learn more about Integrated Pest Management, or get the tools to start an IPM program at your school.

  •     EPA has published a brochure titled "Protecting Children in Schools from Pests and Pesticides." The brochure provides resources, success stories and examples of IPM practices for safer pest management within our Nation's schools. A copy of the brochure may be obtained on-line by contacting the National Service Center for Environmental Publications , or by phone at 1-800-490-9198. The EPA publication number is EPA-735-F-02-014.
  •     The popular EPA booklet, "Pest Control in the School Environment: Adopting IPM" is designed to encourage and assist school officials in examining and improving their pest management practices. It identifies ways to reduce the use of pesticides in school buildings and landscapes, as well as alternative methods of managing pests commonly found in schools. A copy of the booklet may be obtained on-line by contacting the National Service Center for Environmental Publications , or by phone at 1-800-490-9198. The EPA publication number is EPA 735-F-93-012.
  •     University of Florida's IPM in Schools Exit EPA disclaimer provides a wealth of valuable, free, useful information for school administrators, staff members, pest managers, and parents to start an IPM program.
  •     EPA Supported Technical Resource Centers for IPM in Schools and Day Cares: The following centers have been created to provide tools, training and technical support for schools and day care centers to start an IPM program. Training opportunities, IPM principles, and specific management techniques are available for custodial and maintenance staff.
  •     Video: Integrated Pest Management in Schools (A Better Method) explains in simple language what IPM is and how to get it started. Available on-line from the Safer Pest Control Project Exit EPA disclaimer , or by phone at 312-641-5575.
  •     IPM school contacts:

    Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511C)
    Pollution Prevention Staff
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Ariel Rios Building
    1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, D.C. 20460

    Field and External Affairs Division (7506C)
    Office of Pesticide Programs
    Ariel Rios Building
    1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
    Washington, DC 20460

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IPM in Schools: Success Stories

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sees protecting children's health as one of its highest priorities. EPA is helping schools understand and implement IPM by distributing printed publications and awarding grants to start IPM programs that demonstrate success. Here are some examples of successful IPM demonstrations.

"Monroe County Indiana achieved a 92 percent reduction in pesticide use, enabling them to also direct their cost savings to hire a district-wide coordinator to oversee pest management in the schools. As a result of this achievement, Monroe County was awarded the Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention." -- John Carter, Director of Planning, Monroe County Community Schools Corporation, Indiana

"IPM is a reasonable, common-sense, good maintenance and sanitation practice. Not only is it the right thing to do environmentally, it is healthier for children and staff. IPM does not have to be burdensome to be done correctly; monitoring can mean putting out sticky traps to find out if you really have a pest problem. IPM has been easy, cost-effective, and successful at controlling both indoor and outdoor pests." -- Sue Kamuda, Facilities Service Coordinator, Hinsdale, Illinois

"Our IPM program reduced pesticide use 90 percent between 1988 and 1990. Pesticide use has been cut from 5,000 applications in 1985 to none four years later, saving the school district $1800 per school and $30,000 at the food service warehouse." -- Richard Stack, IPM Administrator, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland

"In the Vista de las Cruces School in California, pest management costs went from $1,740 a year to $270 (plus labor) for two years." -- Phil Boise, IPM / Agronomy Programs Manager, Santa Barbara, California

"The Kyrene School District reduced pesticide applications by 90 percent and kept pest populations below 85 percent of their original levels by using IPM. Due to the overwhelming success, their IPM program was expanded to all the Kyrene district schools in spring 2001 (27 schools)." -- Stan Peterson, Kryene School District Facilities Manager, Arizona

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What Some Professionals Are Saying About IPM

"Professional educators know that communication and education are required to influence behavior. Successfully implementing IPM means influencing individuals whose behaviors allow pest problems to continue or occur in school settings. Drawing back on my first years in graduate school, I learned that pest management is people management." -- Dr. Marc Lame, National IPM Expert, Entomologist, and Professor at Indiana University

"In managing pests, the emphasis should be placed on minimizing the use of broad spectrum chemicals, and on maximizing the use of sanitation, biological controls and selective methods of application." -- American Public Health Association

"A healthy school environment is essential. All students and staff have a right to learn and work in a healthy school environment, safe from air pollution, radiation, sound and mechanical stress, and chemical exposures." -- National Association of School Nurses

"National PTA supports efforts [IPM implementation] at the federal, state, and local levels to eliminate the environmental health hazards caused by pesticide use in and around schools." -- National Parent Teacher Association

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Common Pests in School Settings

Your school may be providing food, water and shelter to pests. Some pests common in schools can harm both children and adults.

  •     Flies and cockroaches may spread disease.
  •     Cockroaches can cause allergies and asthma attacks.
  •     Yellow jacket stings are painful and can be life-threatening to those with allergies.
  •     Spiders may inflict painful bites and some may pose a health risk.
  •     Mice may contaminate food, trigger asthma attacks and cause structural damage.
  •     Termites cause structural damage.

Other pests may not pose an immediate health threat or damage to the structure, but are often controlled for aesthetic or other reasons.

  •     Weeds may invade playing fields or playgrounds.
  •     Head lice outbreaks may occur among students.
  •     Ants may swarms in hallways or classrooms.
  •     Fruit flies may gather in kitchens.

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School IPM Programs Where You Live and Related Information

Map of the US, split into EPA regions Region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Region 2: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands Region 3: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska Region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakaota, Utah, Wyoming Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington

EPA funds grant programs to initiate IPM in schools projects. The two major types of grants awarded are from the Pesticide Enviornmental Stewardshsip Program (PESP) through the cooperative agreement with the National Foundation for IPM Education and PESP Regional grants.

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