WASHINGTON, D.C. — We don't know how likely this legislation is to be passed, and it's not clear what impact it would have on pest control, landscape and grounds maintenance operations. But it bears watching.
U.S. Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) and 14 of his colleagues put forward School Environment Protection Act of 2009 (SEPA), H.R. 4159. SEPA, if passed, would require all public schools to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) programs that emphasize non-chemical pest management strategies and only use defined least-toxic pesticides as a last resort.
A public health emergency provision allows the use of a pesticide, if warranted. In this case, notification of the pesticide application is required to be provided to all parents and guardians of students and school staff. Cleaning agents with pesticides fall under the bill's purview.
The legislation establishes a 12-member National School IPM Advisory Board that, with the help of a technical advisory panel, will develop school IPM standards and a list of allowable least-toxic pesticide products. In addition, under the language each state is required to develop its IPM plan as part of its existing state cooperative agreement with the U.S. EPA.
For a copy of H.R. 4195 click here.
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing this news.IPM programs for pests and their interaction with the environment. Tt is also available for pest control methods and techniques,is used to eliminate pests and their damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.
Thanks for the heads-up on this proposed bill. I believe that a well-designed IPM program can reduce pesticide use by identifying and correcting the problems with the buildings and ground maintenance and sanitation as the first line of defense. However, I also think pesticides play a valuable role in effective IPM. It'll be interesting to see how the bill plays out.
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