Safer Schools Report Documents Districts' Tactics To Protect Children from Pesticides

ARCHIVED 2002–2016: Originally distributed via the eWire press wire service. Preserved as historical record.

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE |

Conservation & Wildlife

Corporate Responsibility

Science & Technology

Syndication Partners

**************************************************************************

E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE

**************************************************************************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Safer Schools Report Documents Districts' Tactics To Protect Children from Pesticides

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Apr. 17 -/E-Wire/-- In a report released today, schools from across the country document a growing trend to adopt safer practices that dramatically reduce pesticides in the schools, providing children with a healthier learning environment, according to the authors. With descriptions of 27 school districts of all sizes from 19 states, the report, Safer Schools: Achieving a Healthy Learning Environment Through Integrated Pest Management, describes a growing commitment to adopt practices that respond to mounting evidence that pesticides pose a public health hazard while non-toxic, economically feasible pest management options are available. Spearheaded by the School Pesticide Reform Coalition and Beyond Pesticides and written by a broad group of individuals representing advocacy groups, state agencies, pest control companies, and school staff, the groups say the report will help encourage schools, states, and the federal government to put in place safer pest management programs for schools and communities nationwide.

Safer Schools is the first report of its kind to document the actual strategies schools use to decrease pesticide use while implementing more effective pest management strategies. The case studies highlighted represent a range of program sizes from the three largest school districts in the continental U.S. (New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Chicago Public Schools), to individual schools like Lewis Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan.

Many people assume that schools are environmentally safe places for children to learn. It often takes a pesticide poisoning, repeated illnesses or a strong advocate to alert a school district to the acute and chronic adverse health effects of pesticides and the viability of safer pest management strategies. Schools that have chosen to adopt such strategies, such as an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, use alternatives to the prevailing chemical-intensive practices because of the health risk such practices pose to children and other school users.

"Understanding how these programs take shape and the approaches used by schools and districts, as well as hurdles they had to overcome, is key to the broader adoption of successful programs across the nation," according to Kagan Owens, program director for Beyond Pesticides, a Washington-based information and advocacy group. There are many success stories around the country that, like the 27 case studies included in Safer Schools, show that IPM significantly reduces and, in some cases, eliminates the amount of pesticides used; is cost effective; and, yields better pest control results.

IPM is an approach that has been implemented in various communities, schools, and government facilities for decades. Although there are no federal laws regarding school pesticide use and pest management, there is pending federal legislation, the School Environment Protection Act (SEPA), which has been introduced in Congress and adopted by the U.S. Senate twice. There are also 13 state laws and 320 local policies, according to Beyond Pesticides' report, Are School Making the Grade, National PTA and American Public Health Association resolutions, and numerous government and non-governmental organization resources that focus on the adoption of school IPM programs, all of which can be found at www.beyondpesticides.org .

"This report further exemplifies the fact that school districts nationwide should be required to adopt an IPM policy and program in order to make sure that all students and school staff are protected from the unnecessary use of hazardous chemicals," said Ms. Owens, a co-author of Safer Schools who also coordinates the School Pesticide Reform Coalition, a network of local groups across the country. "Where policies already exist, parents and school staff need to ensure their implementation," Ms. Owens said.

The vulnerability of infants and children to the harmful effects of pesticides has attracted national attention over the last decade. EPA and the National Academy of Sciences, among others, have voiced concerns about the danger that pesticides pose to children. Children face higher risks than adults from pesticide exposure due to their small size, tendency to place their hands close to their face, engaging in activities on or near the ground, greater intake of air and food relative to body weight, developing organ systems, and other unique characteristics.

Adverse health effects, such as nausea, dizziness, respiratory problems, headaches, rashes, and mental disorientation, may appear even when a pesticide is applied according to label directions. Pesticide exposure can adversely affect a childs neurological, respiratory, immune, and endocrine system and have been shown to cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Studies show that children living in households where pesticides are used suffer elevated rates of leukemia, brain cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma. Because most of the symptoms of pesticide exposure, from respiratory distress to difficulty in concentration, are common in school children and may also have other causes, pesticide-related illnesses often go unrecognized and unreported.

Safer Schools provides comprehensive details of an IPM program by: (1) explaining what an IPM program is and why it is necessary; (2) highlighting 27 school districts and individual school IPM policies and programs; and, (3) outlining the basic steps to getting a school IPM program adopted. The report also includes a list of organizations, pest management companies, and government and school contacts that can provide a wealth of information on adopting a school IPM policy and its implementation; a list of states and schools that have an IPM/pesticide policy; and, a pest prevention strategies checklist.

Select Report Highlights : Safer Schools features IPM implementation success stories in Alabama (Auburn City Schools); Alaska (Anchorage School District); Arizona (Kyrene School District); California (Los Angeles Unified School District); Colorado (Boulder Valley School District); Illinois (Chicago Public School District); Indiana (Broad Ripple High School, Indianapolis Public Schools and Monroe County Community School Corporation); Maryland (Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School, Howard County Public Schools and Montgomery County Public Schools); Massachusetts (Sherborn Public Schools and Wellesley Public Schools); Michigan (Lewis Cass Technical High School, Detroit Public Schools and West Ottawa Public Schools); New Jersey (Evesham Township School District); New York (Albany City School District, Baldwin Union Free School District, Locust Valley Central School District, and New York City Public Schools); North Carolina (Pitt County Schools); Ohio (Princeton City School District); Oregon (Spencer Butte Middle School, Eugene Public School District); Texas (Irving Independent School District); Vermont (South Burlington School District); Virginia (Montgomery County Public Schools); and, Washington (Bainbridge Island School District and Carl Sandburg Elementary School).

Hazardous Pesticide Use is Eliminated or Significantly Reduced

The case studies show a series of prohibitions that seek to stop the use of specific hazardous pesticides or application methods. For example: the Los Angeles Unified School District, CA halted the use of broadcast spraying and the use of pesticide bombs; the Boulder Valley School District, CO does not use any toxic synthetic pesticides; Montgomery County Public Schools, MD moved away from relying on Dursban, diazinon, and pyrethrum; Evesham Township School District, NJ has eliminated organophosphate, carbamate, and solvent-based pesticides from use in buildings; and, the New York City Public Schools, NY have eliminated spray and fogging pesticide applications. Anchorage School District, AK and Baldwin Union Free School District, NY have specifically banned the use of pesticides for aesthetic purposes.

Joseph Tobens, IPM Coordinator at the Evesham Township, NJ schools, writes in the report, Rarely is there a need to apply pesticides inside our buildings or on school property.

An IPM Program Is More Effective

At Chicago Public Schools, a school pilot IPM program was shown to be successful before the program was extended to the rest of the District. The pilot program was proof that IPM works, even in schools that are deteriorating and prone to pest problems. Other case studies report that: --- Pesticide use decreased by 85 % in Auburn schools; --- Pest problems decreased by 85 % and pesticide use decreased by 90 % in Kyrene, AZ schools;

--- Pest problems decreased by 90 % in the Monroe County Community School Corporation, IN (MCCSC);

--- Pesticide use decreased over 90 % and service calls have reduced by 95 percent in New York City Public Schools; and,

--- In the past two years, pesticides have been used only five times in Montgomery County, MD schools.

"It is important to remember that there is going to be a transition period when starting an IPM program. School staff are going to have to make some changes,"states Jerry Jochim, IPM coordinator at MCCSC. "But after that, it becomes normal, routine. IPM may even be less work."

Cost Benefits of An IPM Program

Safer Schools shows that implementing an IPM program is not an impediment to moving IPM forward. For example: --- Since the IPM program began, the cost of pest management has been cut in half to $17,000 annually at MCCSC; --- IPM saved West Ottawa, MI schools $10,000 annually on their pest management; --- Pesticide related expenses have decreased 20 to 25 % at Baldwin schools; and, --- Almost four years since starting the herbicide-free project at Carl Sandburg Elementary School, WA the project is almost free to maintain.

Hard copies of the report are available by contacting Beyond Pesticides at [REDACTED-PHONE] or [REDACTED-EMAIL]. It can also be downloaded at www.beyondpesticides.org/schools http://www.beyondpesticides.org/schools http://www.beyondpesticides.org/SCHOOLS/MEDIA/safer_schools_pr.htm http://www.beyondpesticides.org/SCHOOLS/publications/IPMSuccessStor ies/pdf

701 E Street, S.E. Suite 200

[REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://http://www.beyondpesticides.org/schools

http://http://www.beyondpesticides.org

**************************************************************************

To Transmit Your News Over E-Wire, visit http://www.ewire.com or

call 1-[REDACTED-PHONE]. E-Wire Is Broadcast To Millions Of Readers Worldwide

**************************************************************************