Integrated Pest Management |
Working with Schools
By Adrian Enache
Integrated Pest Management – is that a euphemism for whipping pests into shape? Well, that’s one way to look at it. But it’s so much more…
IPM is a system for reducing pesticide risk and exposure to humans, particularly children. Put simply, IPM is a safer and usually less costly option for effective pest management in a school community.
Two years ago, EPA launched an effort to highlight the nationwide adoption and implementation of IPM in Schools. The focus: to expand protection for a vulnerable population – school age children. Here, in New York City and the region, we embarked on developing and implementing a robust School IPM program. One of the main features of an effective IPM program is to monitor the pest population and determine the best pest control methods, using pesticides only and only if all other methods failed.
The first step consists of assessing the existing, if any, pest control practices in our schools. While some schools have IPM, others don’t. Working together with our state and local pesticide regulatory and education department partners, we developed letters signed by all these agencies outlining the importance of IPM in school settings and urging school administrators to consider adoption of IPM, as the not only environmentally sound pest control alternative, but also the economically advantageous alternative. In New York State, our letters reached 3,300 public schools attended by more than 1,782,000 students. In New York City alone, we reached 1,700 schools attended by more than 1,100,000 children.
Naturally, our outreach efforts don’t stop here. We recently reached agreements with the New York State Pest Management Association (NYSPMA) and the New York City Pest Management Association (NYCPMA) to have these organizations promote to their membership adoption of IPM as the day to day operational method. The same is also talking place in other EPA Region 2 states.
Also as part of the regional School IPM efforts, we planned pilot projects in selected areas in New York City and Newark, New Jersey, targeting several environmental justice communities located in Staten Island, Brooklyn, West Harlem and Washington Heights.
About the Author: Dr. Enache is the Manager of Pesticides Program out of EPA Region 2’s office in Edison, New Jersey. In this capacity, he is responsible for the implementation of pesticide regulations throughout the region. He feels that strongly that the safe use of pesticides is one of the most important missions of the EPA’s Pesticides Program. Dr. Enache and his team are focusing their outreach efforts towards schools and child care facilities, considering that children may potentially be exposed to harmful pesticides if misused or overused.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Thanks for this post, Dr. Enache. We have pest issues in FL, I wonder if there are IPM policies here? Very important and serious issue.
Yes, Florida has the same type of IPM policy in place, espeaciallyt considering the the School IPM is a national priority for the EPA and our state partners.
Very nice Dr. Enache, I wonder if my son’s school has this?