Managing Pests and Protecting Kids:
Toxic Free NC Launches New Toxic-Free Schools Project with Study on Pest Control in North Carolina Public Schools

This summer, Toxic Free NC kicked off a new Toxic-Free Schools Project with the help of Alaina Rogers, an intern from UNC Chapel Hill. The new project helps NC school districts adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a safer, cost-effective method of pest control that does not rely on the use of toxic pesticides. Switching from conventional pest control to an IPM approach greatly reduces child exposure to toxic pesticides and helps schools maintain a clean and healthy toxic-free environment for teaching and learning.

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools use regular pest inspections to manage pests safely. This technician is inspecting a janitor’s closet at Southeast Middle School in Kernersville. Photo: Fawn Pattison.

IPM emphasizes the prevention of pest problems through structural maintenance, proper sanitation, regular inspections, and increased staff and student awareness. This method is preferred by parents and schools alike because it doesn’t rely on the use of toxic pesticides that threaten the health of students and school staff. Schools also like it because, as Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schoolsgrounds supervisor Steve Cutright put it, “IPM just works better, that’s the most important thing.” IPM prevents pest infestations rather than treating them after the fact with pesticides. Initial investments in repairs, sanitation, and staff training are usually offset by decreased spending on pesticides.

Over the summer, Toxic Free NC surveyed North Carolina's 117 school districts by mail, phone, and internet. We wanted to determine a) who makes pest control decisions and who performs pest control for schools, b) whether schools follow standard policies or procedures for pesticide application, c) the severity of and type of pest problems NC schools are experiencing, d) methods commonly used by schools for pest prevention and control, and e) areas where children are most at risk for toxic exposures.

Over half of NC school districts participated in the study. Alaina helped us process the data and send out “report cards” to each participating district, assigning it a “grade” based on its survey responses, and showing how it compared with other school districts around the state.

Through the survey, we found that the majority of responding school districts use one or more highly hazardous methods of pest control, such as fogging or baseboard spraying; and/or spray on a calendar basis, regardless of the actual presence of pests. However, we also found that maintenance employees at many schools are at least somewhat familiar with IPM and employ several less toxic pest control techniques in their pest control programs.

Toxic Free NC will release a report summarizing the results of the survey this fall. For a free copy, contact Toxic Free NC. To find out whether your school district participated in our survey and how they did, or to learn more about getting your school district to reduce its use of toxic chemicals, please contact our program coordinator, Billie Karel, at (919)833-1123 or by email.

-Alaina Rogers and Billie Karel.