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#          Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools

##### Resources

      - Healthy School Environments
      - Pesticides and Food:What IPM means

### Protecting Children in Schools from Pests and Pesticides

Pesticides are powerful tools for controlling pests. However, pesticides         need to be used carefully and judiciously, especially when used in sensitive         areas where children are present. Children are more sensitive than adults         to pesticides. Young children can have greater exposure to pesticides         from crawling, exploring, or other hand-to-mouth activities.

The EPA recommends that schools use integrated pest management (IPM) to 	    reduce pesticide risk and exposure to children. Put simply, IPM is a safer, and usually         less costly option for effective pest management in a school community.         A school IPM program uses common sense strategies to reduce sources of         food, water and shelter for pests in your school buildings and grounds.         An IPM program takes advantage of all pest management strategies, including         the judicious and careful use of pesticides when necessary. 

Since children spend so much of their day at school, integrated pest         management provides an opportunity to create a safer learning environment         - - to reduce children's exposure to pesticides as well as eliminate pests.         EPA is encouraging school officials to adopt IPM practices to reduce children's         exposure to pesticides. 

On this page:
    -  Is There a Safer Way to Control Pests?
    -  How Do You Know If Your School Is Really 				  Using IPM?
    -  How You Can Get Started
    -  What Organizations Are Saying about 				  IPM
    -  Common Pests in School Settings
    -  School IPM Programs Where You Live and Related Information

#### Is There a Safer Way to Control Pests?

School administrators and others who have decision-making responsibilities         for pest management in and around school buildings and grounds should         know that safer options exist. 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a safer, and usually less costly         option for effective pest management in the school community. A school         IPM program employs commonsense strategies to reduce sources of food,         water and shelter for pests in your school buildings and grounds. IPM         programs take advantage of all pest management strategies, including judicious         careful use of pesticides when necessary.

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#### How Do You Know if Your School is Really Using IPM?

You can make sure that: 
    - The problem or pest is identified before taking action.
    - Vegetation, shrubs and wood mulch should be kept at least one foot 				  away from structures.
    -  Cracks and crevices in walls, floors and pavement are either sealed 				  or eliminated.
    -  Lockers and desks are emptied and thoroughly cleaned at least twice 				  yearly.
    -  Food-contaminated dishes, utensils, surfaces are cleaned by the end 				  of each day.
    -  Garbage cans and dumpsters are cleaned regularly.
    -  Litter is collected and disposed of properly at least once a week.
    -  Fertilizers should be applied several times (e.g.,spring, summer, 				  fall) during the year, rather than one heavy application.
    - If pesticides are necessary, use spot treatments rather than area-wide 				  applications.

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#### How You Can Get Started

There are several resources available that provide excellent reference         information where you can learn more about Integrated Pest Management,         and get the tools to start an IPM program at your school. 
    - HealthySEAT Version 2  - Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool.
    - EPA has published a brochure titled " Protecting Children 				  in Schools from Pests and Pesticides ." The brochure provides resources, 				  success stories and examples of IPM practices for safer pest management 				  within our Nation's schools. A copy of the brochure may be obtained 				  on-line by contacting the  National 				  Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) , or by phone at 1-800-490-9198. 				  The EPA publication number is EPA-735-F-02-014.
    - The popular  EPA booklet ,  "Pest 				  Control in the School Environment: Adopting IPM"  is designed 				  to encourage and assist school officials in examining and improving 				  their pest management practices. It identifies ways to reduce the use 				  of pesticides in school buildings and landscapes, as well as alternative 				  methods of managing pests commonly found in schools. A copy of the booklet 				  may be obtained on-line by contacting the  NSCEP , or by phone at 1-800-490-9198. 				  The EPA publication number is EPA 735-F-93-012. 
    - Supported by EPA, the  University 				  of Florida's IPM in Schools    provides a wealth of valuable, free, useful information for school administrators, staff members, pest managers, and parents to start an IPM program. 
    - National 				  School IPM Information Source    from the University of Florida web site provides IPM resource information by state. The  EPA Regional school IPM  contact can provide you with the latest information on school IPM.
    - Integrated Pest Management for Schools: 				  A How-to Manual  contains basic information about IPM in schools, 				  details on developing an IPM Program, and IPM strategies for managing 				  common pests in schools. 
    - EPA Supported Technical Resource Centers for IPM in Schools 				  and Day Cares: The following centers have been created to provide 				  tools, training and technical support for schools and day care centers 				  to start an IPM program. Training opportunities, IPM principles, and 				  specific management techniques are available for custodial and maintenance 				  staff.
    
- Purdue 				University's IPM Technical Resource Center - serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, 1-877-668-8476.

 - Texas A&M 				  University's IPM Technical Resource Center - serves Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, 1-877-747-6872.

    - Video: Integrated Pest Management in Schools (A Better Method)  				  explains in simple language what IPM is and how to get it started. Available 				  on-line from the  Safer Pest Control Project   , or by phone at 312-641-5575.
    - Video: SP-292 ABCs of IPM Training Series  is designed to introduce IPM concepts and help school district personnel implement IPM programs, and is available from the  Texas Agricultural Extension Service .    
    - IPM school contacts:  
Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P)					  Environmental Stewardship Branch / Sherry 					  Glick (glick.sherry@epa.gov) 					  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency					  Ariel Rios Building					  1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW					  Washington, D.C. 20460
 
    - For outreach materials including " Read the Label 				  First " contact our publication center the  NSCEP .
    - If you have a question about a pesticide, contact:  National Pesticide Information Center 				(NPIC)  at 1-800-858-7378, or by  e-mail inquiry  (npic@ace.orst.edu)   .

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#### What Organizations are Saying about IPM

EPA is helping schools understand and implement IPM by distributing printed         publications and supporting projects that demonstrate variable and sustainable school IPM programs. Here are some examples of         successful IPM demonstrations:
> 
"Monroe County Indiana achieved a 92 percent reduction in pesticide           use, enabling them to also direct their cost savings to hire a district-wide           coordinator to oversee pest management in the schools. As a result of           this achievement, Monroe County was awarded the Governor's Award for           Pollution Prevention. The Monroe County IPM Program has now evolved           into the Monroe School IPM Model. By using this Model, the emphasis           is placed on minimizing the use of broad spectrum chemicals, and on           maximizing the use of sanitation, biological controls and selective           methods of application." -- **Monroe County Community Schools Corporation,           Indiana**

"In the Vista de las Cruces School in California, pest management costs           went from $1,740 a year to $270 (plus labor) for two years." -- **Santa           Barbara, California**

"The Kyrene School District reduced pesticide applications by 90 percent           and kept pest populations below 85 percent of their original levels           by using IPM. Due to the overwhelming success, their IPM program was           expanded to all the Kyrene district schools in spring 2001 (27 schools)."           -- **Kyrene School District Facilities Manager, Arizona**

"In managing pests, the emphasis should be placed on minimizing the           use of broad spectrum chemicals, and on maximizing the use of sanitation,           biological controls and selective methods of application." -- **American           Public Health Association**

"A healthy school environment is essential. All students and staff           have a right to learn and work in a healthy school environment, safe           from air pollution, radiation, sound and mechanical stress, and chemical           exposures." -- **National Association of School Nurses**

"National PTA supports efforts [IPM implementation] at the federal,           state, and local levels to eliminate the environmental health hazards           caused by pesticide use in and around schools." -- **National Parent           Teacher Association**

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#### Common Pests in School Settings

Some pests common in schools can harm both children and adults. 
    - Flies and cockroaches may spread disease.
    - Cockroaches can cause allergies and asthma attacks.
    -  Yellow jacket stings are painful and can be life-threatening to those 				  with allergies. 
    -  Spiders may inflict painful bites and some may pose a health risk.
    -  Mice may contaminate food, trigger asthma attacks and cause structural 				  damage.
    -  Termites cause structural damage.
    -  Low risk esthetic problems include weeds invading playgrounds; ants 				  swarming and fruit flies in the kitchen 

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#### School IPM Programs Where You Live and Related Information 

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