Toxic Free News

Parents put a lot of effort into finding the best childcare provider for their children. Childcare providers work hard to provide a nurturing, stimulating environment that is safe for even the youngest child.

An often overlooked element of a healthy childcare center is how the center controls pests. Both pests and pesticides can harm child health, and childcare centers are required to maintain pest-free environments. Since children are more vulnerable to health effects from pesticides in their environment, pest control in childcare centers should be both 100% effective and 100% safe. However, there are no standards in place for how centers get rid of pests.

Last Fall, Toxic Free NC surveyed 89 childcare centers across the state, and found that very few centers are using least toxic pest control. We also discovered that star ratings are not good indicators for whether a center has chronic pest infestations or uses high-risk pest control methods.

So, how can parents find out what’s going on? Here are some questions to help parents find out more about pest-related practices and problems in their child’s center.

Does the center have any recurring pest problems?
Pests can spread germs and illness, and some even increase the risk of asthma and allergies. We all agree that pests are not welcome in indoors—especially in childcare centers. Many of the centers in our survey that reported using least-toxic pest control methods also reported fewer problems with three of the most common and harmful pests: cockroaches, rodents and mold.

Does the center have an IPM policy or contract?
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a safer way to control pests in sensitive environments and is already being used successfully in hospitals and nursing homes. IPM emphasizes inspection, sanitation, monitoring and building maintenance to keep pests out. In IPM, pesticides are used as a last resort, with an emphasis on least-toxic remedies. IPM tends to be much more effective at combating pests, and frequently costs less than conventional pest control!

Are baseboard spraying or bug bombs used here?
More than half (53%) of the childcare providers we surveyed reported the use of baseboard spraying or bug bombs—or both—in their centers. Both of these application methods carry a high risk for children and staff to be exposed to pesticides inside the center. Safer products such as gels, baits and traps are widely available and carry lower risk of exposure.

Can you give me advance notice of spraying?
Notification of a pesticide application is a basic part of an IPM program. Notification lets staff and parents know what’s being used in the center, where and when, so that everyone can make informed decisions to protect their health and the health of their children. It can be as simple as a form letter sent home with children a few days before a planned pesticide application.

Are pesticides ever used when children are present?
This is a big no-no in any good pest control program. In fact, most pesticides actually state on the label that kids and other people should be kept out of treated areas for some specific amount of time. If your childcare center answers “yes” to this question, it’s a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.

Toxic Free NC understands that finding the right childcare for your family can be challenging, and we want every childcare center to be the healthiest it can be. We have created a training on how to do IPM in childcare settings, and we would love to share it with your provider!

Toxic Free News is a publication of
Toxic Free NC
206 New Bern Place, Raleigh, NC 27601, (919) 833-5333, Toll-free 1-877-NO-SPRAY
, http://www.toxicfreenc.org

Mission: Toxic Free NC advocates for alternatives to toxic pesticides in North Carolina by empowering people to make sound decisions about their health and environment.

Staff: Ana Duncan Pardo, Communications Coordinator; Billie Karel, Program Coordinator; Fawn Pattison, Executive Director; Renée Tucker, Administrative Associate; Carolina Cordona, Website En Español Intern; Christopher Grohs, Special Events Coordinator Intern; Line Jensen Buch, Outreach Coordinator Intern; Eric Andrew Smith, Outreach Coordinator Intern.

Board of Directors: Colleen Boudreau, Treasurer; Juan Echeverria; Ghassan Hamra; Laxmi Haynes; Mindy Hiteshue; Cathy Jones; Michelle Nowlin, President; Annie O'Leary; Katherine M. Shea, Immediate Past President; Allen Spalt.
Emeritus Board Members: Billie Rogers, Jane Sharp MacRae, Erick Umstead.

Community Leadership Council: Melissa Bailey, Mary James, Anna Jensen, Silvia Peterson, Juvencio Rocha Peralta.