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Tuesday, July 29, 2014
School IPM 2015 Newsletter: July 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
CBS News Reports on Risks Associated with Pesticide Exposure
On Friday, July 25th CBS News reported
on the risks associated with pesticide exposure. Below is a link to the clip and text from the news story.
The pesticides you use on your
lawn to get rid of weeds and insects are part of a $10 billion-a-year industry.
But some doctors are becoming more concerned about your exposure to those
chemicals, CBS News correspondent Vinita Nair reports.
Joe
Holland has been in the lawn care business for 30 years. His work requires him
to be around a variety of chemicals, which is why he always tells his workers
to take precautions.
"You
always have to protect yourself when you're using any chemicals, no matter the
grade," Holland said. "You have to wear a long sleeve shirt, long
pants."
The
chemicals his workers are using are known as herbicides and insecticides,
designed to kill invasive plants and ward off bugs like mosquitoes. The most
common chemicals used are glyphosate 2, 4-D, and permethrin.
Dr. Phil
Landrigan, professor of pediatrics at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital, studies
the effects of these chemicals on humans, in particular children and pregnant
women.
"I
think the fact that they have been around for a long time engenders a false
sense of security," Landrigan said.
This week,
he presented his findings at a congressional briefing on the health risks of
overexposure.
"There
is also concern that pesticides of all kinds can damage the developing nervous
system and can result in learning disabilities in children, behavioral problems
and possibly chronic diseases like Parkinson's," Landrigan said.
The doctor
insists that some pesticides can stay in your system for years.
"Older
pesticides like DDT can stay in the human body for years, even decades,"
Landrigan said.
But Dr.
Josh Bloom of the American Council of Science and Health says these chemicals
have been used in the U.S. for at least 60 years and pose no risk.
"There
are so many hundreds of things more dangerous in everyday life than this that
it is not even worth thinking about," Bloom said.
New York
is one of many states that requires landscapers to put down flags, warning
residents that a lawn has been freshly treated.
Joe
Holland says his landscaping clients regularly ask about the chemicals he's
using.
"The
questions I get the most are 'when can my kids and my dog go out on the lawn'
and my answer is usually 24 hours," Holland said. "If it doesn't get
watered for two days, we recommend you don't go out there for two days."
There is
no scientific standard about how long to stay off the lawn after it's treated.
Landrigan wants to see that change. Joe Holland says he and his workers mark
each lawn with flags and instruct homeowners when it's safe to venture out into
their yards.
© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All
Rights Reserved.
New app for School IPM!
A new app for School IPM is now available! Produced in
collaboration with the National Pesticide Information Center at Oregon State
University, the app connects you to regional and national school IPM
information using your mobile device. Check it out here: http://ace.orst.edu/pnwsipm/.
PNW Pest
Press newsletters are also available on the WSU
School IPM and the OSU School IPM websites.
Sensible Steps Webinar Series
As schools across the nation
release students for the summer, staff are preparing to tackle the summer
building and maintenance task list. The Sensible Steps Webinar Series,
a 10-session webinar series, is the perfect summer assignment for all your
school staff. This comprehensive training program is designed in 10 functional,
one hour, sessions.
Each session is driven by
real-life case studies, providing real solutions to real concerns, as presented
by school district personnel. And, it introduces dozens of sensible, low- or
no-cost steps staff can use to make any school a healthier school.
Want to start training your
district or schools staff today? Here’s a sneak preview to the Sensible Steps
Assessment Tool, an excellent way to start the process, and to the new
online-training modules.
· Download the Sensible Steps to Healthier School
Environments Guide and
Quick Assessment Checklist.
Make the
commitment today to these easy steps to a healthier school environment.
· Add the webinars to your list of
recommended or required training.
· Train staff in your district and/or
school.
To request copies of
presentation slides or gain assistance with training plans and the Quick
Assessment Checklist, contact Gretchen Stewart (stewart.gretchen@epa.gov), 206-553-0527.A Certificate of Completion for any session can be provided by request.
Webinar
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Featured Speakers
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Video:
Assessment and Team Building (Windows Media, 18MB)
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Video:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Protecting Kids from Pests and Pesticides
(Windows Media, 19MB)
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Video:
Improving Chemical Management in Schools (Windows Media, 21MB)
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Video:
Cleaning and Maintenance (Windows Media, 17MB)
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Video:
Energy Efficiency in Schools with ENERGY STAR (Windows Media, 12MB)
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Video:
Renovate Right: EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Program at Schools
(Windows Media, 24MB)
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Video:
Prevention of and Response to Mercury Spills in Schools (Windows Media,
16MB)
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Video:
Understanding and Reducing Exposures to PCBs in Schools (Windows Media,
31MB)
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Video:
Real-Time Assistance to Implement EPA School Environmental Health Programs
(Windows Media, 37MB)
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