Healthy Schools Act/IPM
WHAT IS THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS ACT ?
When pesticides are used at schools and child care centers in California, the Healthy Schools Act defines requirements for school and child care center staff, pest management professionals, and the Department of Pesticide Regulation. The California Legislature originally passed the law in 2000. The Healthy Schools Act also encourages schools and child care centers—collectively referred to as school sites—to adopt effective, low-risk pest management practices, also known as integrated pest management or IPM.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management, or IPM, focuses on effective, low-risk pest management practices. IPM is a big picture approach to pest management that considers people and the environment when pest management decisions are made. There are a variety of IPM practices, including cleaning regularly, closing gaps in buildings, fixing leaky pipes, setting traps, and choosing low-risk pesticides. With the amount of IPM information available today and an enthusiastic IPM leader, all school sites can successfully manage pests!