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Fewer Pesticides and Fewer
Pests at School
New Report Examines
Pesticide Use and Child Safety in NC Public Schools
RALEIGH – While most North Carolina
public schools still use toxic chemicals to treat problem pests, some
schools are leading the way for children’s environmental health with
effective, least-toxic pest control programs. Clean Schools, Safe Kids, a
new report released today by the Agricultural Resources Center &
Pesticide Education Project, details the benefits to schools, student
health, and environmental quality that can be achieved using least-toxic
pest control programs that minimize the use of toxic pesticides.
The report also examines some of the toxic pest control practices that are
still common in our schools, for example:
- 43% of responding school districts
report using pesticides regularly in classrooms.
- 17% of responding school districts fog
buildings with pesticides.
- Only 3 responding school districts
notify parents when pesticides are used at school.
School districts that use least-toxic
programs, such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), report more effective
programs and lower average costs. Steve Cutright, who oversees an
IPM program at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, reports that IPM is
much more effective in his schools than conventional pest control had
been. “The important thing is that IPM works better,” he stated.
“In that sense, it is definitely more cost-effective, because the old
way, when schools were just sprayed every month, was never very effective
in the first place.”
Large, urban districts as well as small, rural districts in North Carolina
report success with IPM programs. Clean Schools, Safe Kids includes
success stories, cost comparisons, and resources for school staff,
parents, and others interested in improving school environmental health by
reducing pesticide dependence.
"Children spend 30-50% of their waking hours in school nine months of
the year. Schools should be physically safe and free from health
hazards including unnecessary exposures to toxic chemicals like
pesticides. IPM is the approach to pest control which is most
effective and least likely to involve using chemical pesticides,"
says Dr. Katherine Shea, an expert in children's environmental health and
member of ARC’s Board of Directors. “School districts are
finding that with a least-toxic pest control program, they can cut
pesticide dependence, achieve better pest control, and improve
environmental quality and safety.”
-- The Report will be released today at the ‘Clean Schools, Safe Kids
Forum’ at Carroll Middle School in Raleigh. You may also obtain a
copy of the report by calling ARC/PESTed at (919) 833-1123 for a hard
copy, or download the electronic version at www.PESTed.org.
--
Fawn Pattison
Executive Director
Agricultural Resources Center
PESTicide EDucation Project
206 New Bern Place
Raleigh, NC 27601
ph: 919-833-5333
fax: 919-831-1122
http://www.PESTed.org
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