Colorado March School IPM Newsletter

School IPM Newsletter - March 2013

Healthy Colorado Schools

NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION WEEK IS MARCH 17-23, 2013

Potential poisons are everywhere. Whether you are 18 months or 81 years old, you can become a victim of an unintentional poisoning. In 2010, about 7% of calls to poison centers (91,940 calls) were pesticide-related, half of those involved children, and there were 21 deaths (Bronstein, et al. 2011). EPA reported that, in 2011, 57 poison control centers fielded 4 million phone calls, treating 2.4 million human poison exposures and handling 1.6 million information calls.  Store all pest control products out of reach of children. Remind grandparents and childcare providers to do the same. Mr. Yuk, a poison prevention program sponsored by CSU and Colorado Environmental Pesticide Education Program (CEPEP) provides Mr. Yuk stickers to organizations and families.  The stickers are placed on poisonous items and are a visual reminder to young children that they should not touch anything with a sticker on it. For more information about the Mr. Yuk program brochure visit Mr. Yuk’s page.

Stickers are available in English and Spanish

IPM ON SCHOOL GROUNDS WORKSHOP

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 8:00—12:00  St. Vrain School District Building 395 S. Pratt Parkway, Longmont, CO Response has been terrific!  There’s still time to register.  Please contact Genevieve Berry at: Genevieve.Berry@colostate.edu

WHAT’S A PESTICIDE?

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pests. This includes substances you may not have thought of like disinfectants (bleach), sanitizers, and insect repellents. Remember that any product has the potential to poison and can be 'unsafe' or 'ineffective' if label directions are not closely followed. Exempt products, so-called 25(b) materials, are not subjected to efficacy or safety tests by the EPA. We hope that the market will sort out what works from the snake oils, but there is no guarantee. IPM often recommends using a “least toxic” or “reduced risk” product. When choosing a product, look at activity spectrum – this indicates whether the product targets one particular pest or whether it kills many different kinds of pests. For instance, many oils and soaps are broad spectrum in that they affect any arthropod coming into contact with them, whether a beneficial insect, a pollinator, or a pest.

NEW STATE LEGISLATION REGARDING PESTICIDES

Several states are talking about where and when to use pesticides during this legislative season. The Hawaii Legislature is considering legislation establishing a commercial pesticide-free buffer zone around schools, child care facilities, and health care institutions, and imposing a 72 hour notice requirement.  Click here to read House Bill 1386. The Maryland General Assembly is considering legislation prohibiting the use of lawn care pesticides on the grounds of specified child care facilities and schools, except in emergency situations, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Click here to read more about the pending school pesticide use legislation. The Connecticut General Assembly is considering legislation expanding the state's ban on lawn care pesticides at schools up to grade eight to virtually all public and private schools and both pesticide treatments within and outside of buildings.  Under House Bill 6385, the only pesticides that could be used at schools would be sanitizers, disinfectants, antimicrobials, baits and emergency applications, as determined by the local health director, Commissioner of Public Health, Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or in the case of a public school, the school superintendent. Click here to read the legislation.

21 states recommend or require schools to use IPM. 18 states restrict when or  what pesticides may be applied in schools. 18 states require the posting of signs for indoor school pesticide applications. 28 states require the posting of signs for pesticide application made on school grounds. 24 states require prior written notification to students, parents, or staff before a pesticide application is made at schools. 9 states recognize the importance of controlling drift by restricting pesticide applications in areas neighboring a school.

HUG A TREE TODAY

Evidence is increasing from multiple scientific fields that exposure to the natural environment can improve human health. In a new study by the U.S. Forest Service, the presence of trees was associated with human health. Results suggest that loss of trees to the emerald ash borer increased mortality related to cardiovascular and lower-respiratory-tract illness. This finding adds to the growing evidence that the natural environment provides major public health benefits.

2000 year old tree in South Africa known as Tree of Life

Minimize risks by using Integrated Pest Management

BATS MORE LIKELY TO CARRY DISEASE THAN RODENTS

Rodents hugely outnumber bats, but bats are more likely than rodents to carry viruses that can be transmitted between animals and humans, according to new research by Colorado State University disease ecologists. “There’s been a lot of speculation that bats might be special in some way as far as their potential to host zoonotic diseases,” said Angela Luis, a postdoctoral fellow who conducted the research with Colleen Webb, a biology professor at Colorado State. Zoonotic are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. “We found that although there are twice as many rodent species as there are bat species, bats hosted more zoonotic viruses per species than rodents.” http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=8219

The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) can be found just about everywhere in Colorado.  Check out our Bats Fact Sheet for more information.

Free  Webinar on bats and bat management on April 4, 2013. For more information click here: https://learn.extension.org/events/936

For All The Latest News Don’t Forget To Check Out Our Website/Blog at: www.ccsipm.wordpress.com

For More Information About The Colorado Coalition For School IPM contact:

Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO   80523-1177 Phone:  970-491-1377 Email:  deborah.young@colostate.edu http://coloradoipmcenter.agsci.coloatate.edu

The Colorado Coalition for School IPM is an effort by Colorado State University, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Department of  Education, school districts, National Environmental Health  Association and private pest control professionals.