Pesticides

Pesticides provide a valuable service to our society in reducing pests, but they also pose hazards, especially to children who may be sensitive to them. IKE's goal is to reduce both pests and pesticide exposures, and to ensure that parents who are concerned about pesticide use are notified of the planned use so they can take appropriate action.

The Indiana Pesticide Review Board has proposed rules that would require anyone applying pesticides at a school be a licensed applicator or under the direct supervision of a licensed applicator. Pesticides also could not be used when children are present. Draft rules were published in June 2010 in the Indiana Register. A public hearing will be held at Purdue at 9 a.m. on August 2, 2010. The hearing will be at the Office of the Indiana State Chemist, Purdue University, 175 South University Street, Room A151, West Lafayette, Indiana.

In 2001, with pressure from the General Assembly and Pesticide Review Board, the Indiana School Board Association adopted a school pesticide policy and encouraged voluntary adoption at school districts throughout the state. Later reviews by the State Chemist's office found that while many schools had adopted a policy to reduce the use of pesticides, just over half the schools that had adopted a pest management policy actually were following it.

The proposed rule is intended to minimize the potential for pesticide exposure to children at schools by ensuring the following:

            (1) Pesticides are used only by a certified applicator or an individual operating under the direct supervision of the certified applicator.
            (2) Pesticides are not used when children are present.
            (3) Pesticides are stored in locked storage areas.
            (4) Except for emergency situations school corporations provide advance notice of pesticide applications to parents or guardians on a notification registry.
            (5) School corporations keep records of pesticide application.

You can review the draft rule here and provide comments to the Pesticide Board via Dave Scott scottde@purdue.edu.

Other documents related to the draft rule:

- Economic impact statement, analyzing the financial impact on schools and private contractors working in schools

- Fiscal analysis, presenting a cost-benefit analysis to regulated entities and the fiscal impact to the state

Integrated Pest Management. IKE began a project in 2008 working with the Indiana State Department of Health and Professor Marc Lame of Indiana University on a pilot project with two schools in Pike Township (Indianapolis) to implement integrated pest management, a system of pest control that minimizes chemical use. An Indiana IPM Schools Coalition has been formed to encourage schools to adopt IPM as their preferred approach to dealing with pests.

IPM Workshop for Schools. IKE partnered with Pike Township Schools to host a free one-day workshop July 16, 2009, on integrated pest management. Click here for details.

You can join a statewide task force to encourage the adoption of integrated pest management and reduce the use of pesticides in schools. Contact Jodi Perras at jperras@ikecoalition.org.

Child Care Facilities: IKE worked with the Indiana Pesticide Review Board to develop a model policy for child care facilities which the board adopted in 2003.

Arsenic-Treated Lumber: In cooperation with WISH-TV (Channel 8) in Indianapolis, IKE helped focus attention in Indiana to the hazards posed by lumber treated with chromated, copper arsenate. This lumber is known as CCA-treated lumber. It was banned for use on new items in the residential market in 2004. Existing stock was not recalled so it is still present in picnic tables and playsets built before 2004.

Retail Stores: Indiana requires retail stores that offer advice to customers about selection and use of pesticides to be registered and trained. Compliance has been poor. IKE worked with the Office of the Indiana State Chemist to get the word out and improve the quality and accuracy of the advice given by your local store through IKE's Secret Shopper program.

Indy Urban Pesticide Initiative: Thanks to a grant from EPA Region 5 in 2001, IKE developed an Indy Urban Pesticide Initiative to focus its efforts to reduce exposure to pests and pesticides.