Cockroaches, fire ants, wasps, mosquitoes, poison oak and ivy, rats and mice threaten children s health. Ticks transmit Lyme disease and can carry encephalitis. In fact, during the past few months, public health officials reported 37 cases and four deaths in the New York metropolitan area due to an outbreak of West Nile Virus, a strain of encephalitis.
Pesticides are safe and have a proven track record for protecting the public from dangerous pests.
They are extensively tested and regulated. Before a pesticide product can be used, it must undergo over 120 government-mandated tests for numerous health and environmental effects, including effects on children. By restricting school access to these vital pest management tools, SEPA would put children at risk for a variety of major diseases and illnesses. Essential pest management tools used by schools include sanitation, structural repair and maintenance, and pesticides when needed. Such programs are already in place in many schools around the country.