FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Melaney Arnold
November 15, 2013 (217)
558-0500
Day
Care Centers and Schools Could Face Fines If Indoor Pest Forms Are Not Filed
SPRINGFIELD
– To protect children in day care centers and schools from pests such as
cockroaches, spiders and rodents, as well as from unnecessary applications of
pesticides, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding schools
and day care centers they could be fined if they do not comply with the state’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) regulations. State
law requires public schools and licensed day care centers to file an IPM form
with the Department to document how they plan to
implement IPM. IPM uses a variety of non-chemical methods as well
as pesticides, when needed, to reduce pest infestations and to minimize
children’s exposure to pesticides.
“Integrated Pest Management is a means of managing pests
that doesn’t rely on a single method, such as the routine and often unnecessary
application of pesticides,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director
Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “It combines
methods such as improved sanitation, monitoring, physical barriers and
maintenance to reduce the likelihood of pest infestations. Facilities that practice IPM often see a
reduction in the number of pests and pesticides applied, as well as a reduction
in pest control costs.”
More than 200 day care centers and schools have failed to
comply with the most basic of the state’s IPM regulations and may face fines
for the first time. IDPH has been
working to ensure schools and day care centers comply by sending mass mailings,
holding seminars and working with the Illinois Department of Children and
Family Services, which licenses Illinois day cares.
More information about IPM and the IPM regulations can be
found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/ipm/index.htm.
Implementing an IPM program greatly reduces the chance of
accidental exposure of pesticides to children and staff. This proactive, rather than reactive, approach
to managing pests can be more effective in the long term than relying on
pesticides alone. Over time, an IPM program can cost less than conventional
pest management practices by reducing the school’s or day care center’s
dependency on pesticides.
This integrated pest management reminder is inline with
IDPH’s strategic plan to effectively and efficiently improve regulatory
functions to ensure the health, safety and wellness of the public
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