MAINE SCHOOL IPM NEWSLETTER Fall 2004/Issue One Letter to IPM Coordinators Compliance Seasonal IPM Training

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Letter to IPM Coordinators

Dear Integrated Pest Management Coordinator:

Welcome to the first issue of the Maine School IPM newsletter! I hope you’ll find it to be timely and helpful. Its contents will keep school IPM coordinators in tune with announcements, how-to tips and important resources.
Please help us identify your school’s IPM coordinator.

We want to make sure they receive this newsletter and other important announcements. Please contact me directly at 207-287-7616 or send me an e-mail with your coordinator's name, title, school name, address, phone number and e-mail.

Thank you!
Kathy Murray

Compliance

Back-to-school means notification!

• that a school integrated pest management policy exists and where it may be reviewed
• that pesticides may periodically be applied in school buildings and on school grounds
• how parents, staff, guardians will be notified any time high risk pesticides are applied on properties used by the school
• where records of prior pesticide applications and pesticide labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS) are available for review
• where a copy of the “School IPM” regulation (Chapter 27) can be reviewed

Missed the deadline? Don’t wait until next year—send it out now! Schools that fail to send the required notice could be subject to fines. Sample notification letters are available at our Web site.

Distribution of IPM policy notices

Got your notice ready to go? Many schools find that distributing the IPM policy notice in the school handbook along with other required notices such as the asbestos notice is an easy solution. If you’ve missed that opportunity this year, other solutions are to send it home with students or by mail. Staff can easily be notified at staff meetings, by e-mail or via handouts.

Still waiting for policy adoption?
Superintendents and school board members can obtain a model IPM policy from the Maine School Management Association (207-622-3473). A similar model policy is available from us. Download our sample policy from our Web site or contact Kathy Murray at 207-287-7616.

Chapter 27 FAQ

How many days in advance must a notice be given for non-exempt applications?
Five (not two as some pre-rule documents suggested).

What records must be kept?

• the regulation (Chapter 27)
• school IPM policy
• all pest management records that include: pest monitoring, pest identification, pest thresholds and whether they have been exceeded, alternative control methods used, records of pesticide applications and copies of pesticide labels and MSDSs of products used

When isn’t a notice necessary when applying non-exempt pesticides?

• when school is not in session and will not be in session until the re-entry or restricted entry interval has expired
• when products with no listed re-entry or restricted entry interval are used and entry is restricted until 24 hours after the application

How is “not in session” defined?
When classes or other school sponsored or sanctioned activities are not scheduled. Also, if a portion of the school property has a controllable access and can be closed off for the purposes of this rule.

Can our maintenance or custodial staff apply pesticides?
Only if they have a current commercial pesticide applicator’s license. Otherwise, you’ll have to hire someone that does.

Seasonal IPM

Mouse Patrol: Rodent IPM For Schools

It must be autumn. Mice are invading your school again, looking for a warm building with lots of food, drink and nesting places. But mice and other rodents are a health risk in schools.

They are known carriers of many human diseases including Salmonella and hantavirus. Rodents can even cause fires by gnawing on electrical wiring. But probably the most serious concern in Maine, where children’s asthma rates are among the highest in the U.S., is rodent infestations trigger asthma attacks.

It’s important to rodent-proof school buildings, repair leaks, pest-proof stored food, and set out traps, especially in the fall.

BASICS OF RODENT MANAGEMENT
Look for trouble. Use a flashlight to thoroughly inspect all buildings for evidence of rodents. Look for droppings, gnawed food packages, gnawed holes in wall/floor/ceiling corners or along mop boards, greasy rub marks along walls, and burrows and animal trails along exterior walls.

Trap them out. Monitor and control rodents with strategically placed glue boards or traps. Place these on the floor or other flat surface flush against the wall—with the opening or trigger positioned to catch rodents as they run along the walls—in secure places (or in tamper-proof boxes) in rooms where food is prepared and stored like the kitchen, teacher lounge and anywhere evidence of rodents is found. Empty and reset traps daily until no more rodents are captured; then check them weekly. ‘Multiple-catch’ traps are helpful for large infestations. Traps are available at hardware stores and catalog retailers.

Seal them out. Pest-proof all exterior walls both inside and out. Repair all gaps, cracks and crevices greater than ¼” to prevent rodents from gaining entry to the building. Replace broken door sweeps and use metal flashing, hardware cloth and copper wool to seal floor drains, vents, holes, gaps around pipes, etc.

Avoid rodent poisons. Poisons (such as ‘DeCon’ and other poison bait blocks and pellets) are usually NOT recommended because of the risk of accidental poisoning of kids, pets and wildlife. Also, poisoned animals that die inside the walls can cause foul odors. And, like all pesticides, rodent baits may only be used in Maine schools by licensed pesticide applicators.

Keep it clean. Educate school staff and students to properly store food in pest-proof containers, clean spills promptly and thoroughly clean floors and surfaces in rooms where food is eaten or prepared daily. Excellent sanitation is the first defense against rodents. Keeping everything as clean and dry as possible will also help prevent many other pest problems including mold, ants and cockroaches.

Keep it neat. Manage storage areas, closets, bins and cupboards to prevent accumulation of clutter, cardboard and returnables that attract rodents to nest, eat and hide. Remove debris, trash cans or other rodent hiding places located outdoors near the building.

Get out the hedge clippers. Trim back all vegetation at least 12” away from the building

Dumpster-ology. Keep dumpsters on a hard impermeable surface as far away as possible from the building. Check to ensure the dumpster is in good condition, covers are kept closed and that all trash is sealed in plastic bags before being put into the dumpster.

Enlist scouts. Instruct staff and students to report sightings of rodents or their signs (droppings, chewed packages, foul odors, nests, scratching sounds in walls). Keep a pest-sighting log book in the main office or use an electronic reporting system to ensure prompt response and useful written records.

Learn more about rodent IPM. A good primer on school rodent IPM can be found at Non-chemical Rodent Control. For more information on any pest management issues, contact the Maine School IPM Program.

Training

DEC 10
BEGINNER/REFRESHER SCHOOL IPM SEMINAR
Augusta, ME, Burton W. Cross Bldg.
(also available via interactive TV)
Registration begins Nov. 10.
For more info: Kathy Murray, 207-287-7616.