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Pesticide Notification

District Policy 

From District Policy 9331: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasizes preventing and reducing pest problems by using active, non-chemical control practices, rather than responding to a pest crisis through the use of pesticides or herbicides. IPM programs take advantage of all pest management options, including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides and herbicides.

Examples of active, non-chemical controls practices include:

  • good sanitation in kitchens and garbage areas,
  • physical barriers such as screens and caulk to keep pests out of buildings,
  • selection of disease resistant landscaping, and
  • maintenance of appropriate irrigation to landscape areas.

When the District finds it necessary to utilize chemical methods to control pests, it will reduce the potential harmful impacts of their use by ensuring:

  • they are applied by trained and licensed persons reading and scrupulously following the label directions,
  • they are not applied when children are present, and
  • treated areas are posted until ventilation or drying is complete.

Annual Notification Requirement 

NTPS, in accordance with state law, provides written annual notification or upon enrollment to parents or guardians and employees describing the district's pest control policies and methods. Any parent or guardian of a new student, or employee of the district who was not provided notification, will be provided this information on their first day of registration and/or hiring.

Who Applies Pesticides 

In most cases, contracted commercial pest control applicators apply pesticides at district properties. The application will be done by people who possess a valid Washington State Pesticide license in the categories of pest control. All applications must receive prior authorization from the district and must adhere to all notification and posting requirements.

On occasion, a district employee may be responsible for the pesticide applications and will possess a valid Washington State Pesticide license in the categories of pest control, or be under the direct supervision of a certified applicator if they apply any pesticides using an "apparatus" [mechanical powered equipment], or any "restricted use pesticide."

48 Hour Pre-application Notification 

The district will make pre-application notification at least 48 hours before applying a pesticide. This notification will: (A) Be posted in a prominent place in the main office of the school/site; (B) Distributed to interested persons who request to be notified in a method described hereafter; and (C) Posted on the District website. The notification at a minimum shall state:

  1. "Notice: Pesticide Application" as the header;
  2. product name of the pesticide to be applied;
  3. intended date and time of application;
  4. location to which the pesticide is to be applied;
  5. pest to be controlled; and
  6. name and phone number of a contact person at the district.

An application to a district property must be made within forty-eight hours following the intended date and time stated in the notification, or the notification process will be repeated.

Exceptions 

The pre-notification requirements do not apply if the school facility application is made when students do not occupy the school for at least two consecutive days after the application. Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide Compliance personnel define "not occupied" as follows: (1) when and where school or school activities are not in session or, (2) when not in regular school session, the area to be treated is significantly separate from students present at the school. For example, students are in the gym, but not on the football field where the application is intended.

The pre-notification requirements do not apply to any emergency school facility application for control of any pest that poses an immediate human health or safety threats, e.g. an application to control stinging insects. When an emergency school facility application is made, notification consistent with the District's notification system shall occur as soon as possible after the application.

A school facility application does not include the application of antimicrobial pesticides or the placement of insect or rodent baits that are not accessible to children.

Application Notification 

The district or commercial applicators will, at the time of application, post notification signs for all pesticide applications made to grounds. When applications are made to the grounds, a 4x5 inch (minimum size) notification sign will be posted:

  1. at primary points of entry to the school, and
  2. the location of the application.

Notification signs will include the following information:

THIS LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN
RECENTLY SPRAYED OR
TREATED WITH PESTICIDES BY
[COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR OR DISTRICT]
FOR MORE INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT
[NAME OF APPROPRIATE PERSON AND TITLE]
AT [PHONE NUMBER]

When applications are made in or on a building, 8.5x11 inch notification signs will be posted prominently at the location. The school facilities poster will state:

NOTICE: PESTICIDE APPLICATION
Product Name: __________________________________________________
Date and time of application: ________________________________________
Location to which the pesticide was applied: ____________________________
Pest to be controlled: _____________________________________________
Name and phone number of a contact at the District: ______________________

Pesticides or Herbicides Applied On a Regular Basis (more than twice a year anywhere in the District)

Pesticide or Herbicide Products

Product

Active Ingredient

Key Word

Barricade 4FL

Prodiamine

Caution

Barricade 65 WG

Prodiamine

Caution

Casoron 4G

Dicholbenil

Caution

Demon EC

Cypermethrin

Warning

Gallery 75

Isoxaben

Caution

SpeedZone

Carfentraz one-ethyl, 2,4-D, Mecoprop-p acid, Dicamba acid

Caution

In Place

Modified Vegetable Oil; Petroleum distillate

Caution

Lontrel

clopyralid

Caution

Mecomec 4

Potassium salt of methyl clhlorophenoxy

Caution

PT Wasp-Freeze

d-trans allethrin; phenothrin

Caution

Quikpro

Ammonium salt of glyphosate; Diquat dibromide

Caution

Roundup Pro

Isopropylamine salt of glyphosate

Caution

Spectracide Ant

Lamba-cyhalothrin

Caution

Spotlight

Fluroxpurl-methylheptyl ester

Caution

Stinger

clopyralid

Caution

Syl-Tac

2-3 Hydroxyproply-Trisiloxane; Ethoxylated Acetate/Polysilxane

Caution

Talon G

Brodifacoum

Caution

Talstar PL

Bifenthrin

Caution

Triple Shot

Dimethylamine, fluroxypyr, dicamba

Warning  

The District will limit pesticide usage to products classified with the Caution or Warning category of toxicity as part of its integrated pest management plan.  Any use of pesticides categorized as Danger will be for emergencies only - and only when expressly approved by the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services.

Pesticide Records 

The District shall maintain pesticide application records for seven years from the date of application. The records are available to interested persons upon request from the maintenance department. Material Safety Data Sheets and product labels are also available upon request.  Write to Facilities and Maintenance Services, 6620 Carpenter Rd, SE Lacey, WA 98516 or call 360-412-4521.

The District will provide an annual summary of pesticide use prepared for each school/site no later than January 31st for the preceding calendar year. A copy will be made available at each school/site office and to interested persons by writing the address above or calling the number above.  This report will also be posted on the District website at www.nthurston.k12.wa.us/pesticide.

Registration for Pre-application Notification

For anyone requesting pre-application notification, notices will be provided via phone call and/or e-mail to the parent or guardian and email to requesting North Thurston Public Schools staff member for the school/site of a pesticide application at a minimum of forty-eight hours before an application.

Individuals may request pre-application notification at any time, but must notify the District annually to remain on the list.  We request individuals contact us to remain on the list by September 30 of each year.  We ask this to be done annually to ensure that we provide notification regarding the correct school and to help clean our notification list of parents and staff who no longer reside within the district.

You may either email or mail the following information to the Facilities Department to be added to the pre-application notification list:

  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Email Address
  • School or Schools