Heather Cantino,
Rural Action Safe Pest Control Program
740-594-3338
ipm@ruralaction.org

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IPM in schools: intro

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Three steps to safer pest control: Intro for Teachers

Teacher education poster

School kitchen poster

The Southeast Ohio School IPM Project is providing guidance to southeast Ohio school districts to encourage adoption of integrated pest management (IPM). Funded by the Ohio Environmental Education Fund, the project runs September 1998 to May 2001.

What is IPM? Integrated pest management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive method of pest control that provides a safer, more effective alternative to pesticide spraying. IPM uses knowledge of pest biology to integrate least toxic controls that deny pests access to food, water, and shelter. IPM creates a school environment that is unfriendly to pests through regular maintenance, sanitation, and inspections-to find and correct conditions that encourage pests before pests become a problem. Chemicals (in the form of baits) are used only if non-chemical methods are inadequate. Baits (of chemicals that don't get into the air) are placed only where pests are a problem and where pests will find the baits, but children, pets, and other non-target organisms will not.

IPM is important: School IPM reduces pesticide use indoors where children spend many hours and where pesticides persist and concentrate. Two weeks after spraying chlorpyrifos in Dursban, commonly used in schools, high levels were found on plastics and fabrics that had not been in the room during spraying.' Children face the greatest risks from pesticides for many physiological reasons; as pesticide use has increased, so have leukemia, brain tumors, and other childhood cancers linked to pesticide use."

IPM is effective: Even without improved sanitation, a combination of baits and pheromone traps (which use insect communication chemicals as an attractant) has been found to be more effective than spraying, even in severe cockroach infestations.''' And because IPM addresses the causes of pest problems, it can permanently reduce or eliminate problems.

IPM is economical: The focus on solving problems results in long-term cost savings. Initial expenditures on improved maintenance, sanitation, and monitoring are typically more than offset by reductions in pesticide use and by reduced incidence of problems.

IPM is endorsed: USEPA, National Education Association, American Public Health Association, National PTA, and many states advocate school IPM. IPM is mandated for public schools in West Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey.

Project accomplishments to date:

• By May, 1999, eleven districts were taking steps toward IPM. Spraying has been stopped in five--over 9000 people are therefore breathing cleaner air. 
• 28 districts have received information; 12 receive on-going support. 
• Ohio University Telecommunications students produced an introductory video for the project. 

Maintenance staff, teachers, and students can help IPM succeed by reporting or correcting problems such as:

• spills and debris; unsealed food, art supplies, or pet food; dirty pet cages; and un-rinsed soda cans, which provide food for pests 
• leaky pipes or condensation, defective gutters, and roof leaks, which provide water
  unscreened vents or drains, dried-out plumbing traps, gaps around plumbing, and unsealed cracks, providing access 
• cardboard and other clutter, which provide shelter 

Curricular Connections: IPM provides opportunities for interdisciplinary, hands-on learning and students' participation in the safe maintenance of their school community.

• Teachers can engage students in hands-on biology, critical thinking, and pest problem solving sleuthing; have students monitor sticky traps and chart results, diagnose causes of pest problems, and analyze results of management strategies; and use IPM as the basis for studies of insects, arachnids, and mammals--their habits and habitats. 
• Classes can develop promotional materials, such as skits, posters, comics, or newsletters, to explain why IPM is important and how students, parents, and staff can help make it work at school and at home. 

How you can help the project Check with your school district to find out about its progress. Offer encouragement!  Offer to initiate and serve on an I'M support committee for your district. Begin the networking and planning to propose an IPM policy for your district  Call Heather Cantino, project coordinator, for help and information: 740-594-3338.

Resources:

BIRC. 1997. IPM for schools: A how-to manual. P0 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707. Ph: 510-524-2567. Also publishes IPM practitioner and Common-sense pest control quarterly journals. Visit the BIRC website or write: birc@igc.org

Olkowski, W. et al. 1991. Common-sense pest control. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press.
(Available from BIRC: see contact info above).

US EPA. 1993. Pest control in the school environment: Adopting integrated pest management. Publ. #735-F-93-012. National Center for Environmental Publications (free, ph: 800-490-9198).

Washington State Department of Ecology. 1999. Calculating the true costs of pest control. Publication #99-433 (free, ph: 360-407-6700).

Web sites:
www.watoxics.org
www.crisny.org/not-for-profit/nycap/nycap.htm
www.cehn.org
www.pesticide.org