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Information for Home Owners...
EPA New England has 2 pamphlets developed to help homeowners make decisions on pesticide use in and around the home. To access the pamphlets click their titles in the blue boxes.
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
IPM is a knowledge-based, systematic approach to pest control which requires evaluation of control (or management) alternatives including biological, cultural, chemical, host plant resistance, and other methods (tactics) before choosing the best method, or combination of methods, to reduce a pest population below threshold levels. Informed decisions about pest control are made by using scientific information about crop systems, ecology, biology of target pests and site specific information such as monitoring data (scouting or sampling) for crop damage or pests.
IPM was pioneered in agriculture, early IPM research and initiatives centered on major crop systems. Subsequently, IPM methods have been developed for pest control in other settings, such as turf, ornamentals, households and commercial and public buildings.
EPA has supported IPM since the first days of the Agency. Early national IPM initiatives, which were co-sponsored by USDA, the National Science Foundation and EPA, were centered on major crops including cotton, soybeans, alfalfa, citrus fruits, pome fruits and stone fruits and focused mostly on insect pests.
In 1995 EPA created the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD) to encourage use of less risky alternatives to conventional pesticides and pest control methods. BPPD has supported these goals by promoting Integrated Pest Management, registering biological pesticides and by implementing the reduced use/risk initiative.
IPM is an important non-regulatory part of the overall pesticide program in Region 1. During the past several years, the Region 1 pesticide program has developed outreach material, sponsored conferences and supported state IPM programs and activities. Many of our regional activities emphasize homeowner and urban IPM use due to the importance and interest in non-agricultural pesticide use in New England. Region 1 has concentrated much of its effort on consumer use of pesticides for household and lawn care pest control. Among the outreach activities in this area are the production and distribution of two brochures, "Pesticides in your Home" (PDF) (10 pp., 553 KB, about PDF) (targets household pesticide use) and "Pesticides in your Garden" (PDF) (8 pp., 542 KB, about PDF) (targets lawn care pesticide use).
IPM information from EPA HQ
IPM on Human and Community Health
Medical Entomology Medical entomology studies how insects
and related arthropods impact human health. Visit this site for
more information and to see research projects currently being worked
on.
Medical Entomology Extension at Cornell University 
| Arsenic In Wood May 11, 2005 EPA and CPSC: Interim study on the effectiveness of sealants in preventing leaching of arsenic from CCA-treated wood. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a chemical wood preservative containing chromium, copper and arsenic. CCA is used in pressure treated wood to protect wood from rotting due to insects and microbial agents. EPA has classified CCA as a restricted use product, for use only by certified pesticide applicators. CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber since the 1940s. Since the 1970s, the majority of the wood used in outdoor residential settings has been CCA-treated wood. Pressure treated wood containing CCA is no longer being produced for use in most residential settings, including decks and playsets. The Agency has worked with pesticide manufacturers to voluntarily phase out CCA use for wood products around the home and in children's play areas. Effective December 31, 2003, no wood treater or manufacturer may treat wood with CCA for residential uses, with certain exceptions. |