Subject: Wyoming House Passes Pesticide Notification Bill
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 14:50:23 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State
of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Carol Browner browner.carol@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker,
I thought you might like to read an article from a pest control
magazine, PCT Online - News - entitled:
Wyoming House Passes Pesticide Notification Bill, By Amanda Paskiet.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The trend of notification law
implementation in schools is moving westward to Wyoming where the state House
passed a bill on Tuesday, Jan. 16 (House Bill 28) that would require PCOs to
notify schools 72 hours prior to pesticide applications.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. James Hageman (R-Fort Laramie),
introduced the legislation out of concern for his grandson's health. The Fort
Laramie, Wyo., fourth-grader has severe asthma that requires air-filters to be
used in all his classrooms.
Unlike the similar law passed recently in New York, the
Wyoming notification bill does not outline a specific time period for the
schools to notify parents and staff members.
There are a few pesticides that do not require
notification — such as sanitizes, anti-microbials and certain insect and
rodent traps — and questions have arose from PCOs about what products are
covered under the bill.
"Basically, any liquid residual product and any bait
that is not enclosed requires the PCO to notify the school if they're going to
use it," said Gene Harrington, manager of government affairs, National
Pest Management Association (NPMA). "For example, a bait gun would be
subject to notification, but a bait station would not."
Because Wyoming isn't as densely populated as New York,
the notification bill could cause PCOs to tack on extra mileage when servicing
school accounts around the state. "These PCOs can travel as much as two
hours before getting to an account, and those that have to do multiple
inspections to determine what kind of application is necessary in a school
will be doing a lot of time on the road," said Harrington.
Although Harrington said it is too early to tell if the
bill will pass, he admits that Hageman is committed to the bill and its
implementation in schools. "He is very concerned about the use of
pesticides in schools. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of this issue
in Wyoming," Harrington
said.
To view the House Bill 28 click here:
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2001/introduced/hb0028.htm
Friday, January 19, 2001
Well Mr. Helliker, none of my safe and far more
effective (unregistered) alternatives requires any notification. The January,
2001 issue of Pest Control Technology had an article by Jerome Goddard on
"What the regulatory community will allow in the next 50 years?"
His first prediction was entitled: "Treatments Without IPM.
Before too long, integrated pest management will be mandated in all
state and federal contracts, as well as in the food service industry. Sooner or later the public will demand that pesticide
(POISONS) be only used under strictly controlled circumstances in hospitals,
schools, day-care centers, etc. Accordingly,
unless you can demonstrate that you will draw from a wide variety of pest
control methods --- including non-chemical methods --- you will not be allowed
to serve a facility." Knowing
this is about to happen all over the country, I ask you once again: "When
will it be "legal" (in your opinion) to use safe and far more
effective (unregistered) alternatives (non-chemical methods) to actually
control pest problems in California?"
Your continued silence is eloquent!!!!!
Respectfully, Stephen
L. Tvedten
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