Dont let the Bugs Bite – Bed Bugs and Lice Go to School

PASBO Webcast - April 27, 2010 9:30-11:00AM
Dont let the Bugs Bite – Bed Bugs and Lice Go to School

Bed bugs, headlice and schools do not mix! So how can school facilities managers, nurses and principals nip this problem in the bud? How do you communicate effectively with school staff and the local community about the issue? The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) is sponsoring an informative webcast on the emerging bed bug problem in schools and an overview of action items that schools can take.

• Dr. Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann of Cornell University will explain the basics about these annoying creatures and their control.
• Jeff Bryan, Director of Buildings and Grounds at the Red Lion Area School District will give the school practitioner’s viewpoint.
• Sarah Pickel from the PA Department of Agriculture will explain the current legal status of pest management in Pennsylvania schools and the resources available to assist schools with compliance.
  

For more information, including the cost and how to register, please see visit the PASBO website, or call PASBO at (717) 540-9551. Pesticide education credits in multiple categories are available.

Study Shows IPM Reduces Cockroach Allergens in Schools

A 2003-2004 study led by entomologists at North Carolina State University and published in 2009, compared the effectiveness of conventional pest control to IPM with respect to lowering German cockroach allergen levels in schools. Schools – in both urban and rural districts – are prone to cockroach infestations and have very high cockroach allergen levels. These allergens, Blattella gemanica allergen 1, or simply Bla g 1, are associated with development and exacerbation of acute asthma in school children. Full Article.

The Day: South Oranges Healthy Parks

New York Times: “Since IPM is now the law on all New Jersey school grounds, it makes perfect sense to try to expand it to all public property as well,” said Mr. Benson…" Full story.

Salt Lake Tribune: EPA restricts pesticide implicated in death of two Layton sisters

Federal regulators clamped strong new controls Wednesday on the pesticide believed to have caused the deaths of 4-year-old Rebecca Toone and her 15-month-old sister Rachel the week after an exterminator fumigated rodent holes outside of their Layton home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said aluminum and magnesium phosphide fumigants can no longer be used near homes. The agency also expanded the buffer zones required when using it outdoors and imposed a new requirement for posted warnings when the pesticide has been applied. Full story.

What is IPM?

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recently created a basic informational video about Integrated Pest Management in the home:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZPeanRqW5s&feature=related