Chapel Hill and Carrboro Integrated Pest Management

Whereas herbicides and pesticides are poisons; and the risks of herbicides and pesticides are not yet fully understood, especially in combination with other environmental exposures, and as they relate to children, people with asthma and allergies, and other vulnerable populations;

Whereas scientific research indicates that children can be more sensitive to toxic substances in their environments as their bodies are growing and developing;

Whereas the current state of pest control technology is such that effective suppression of pest populations can be achieved without regularly scheduled pesticide use or the broadcast application of pesticides to open surfaces;

Whereas several North Carolina school districts, and hundreds more around the country, have drastically reduced their use of herbicides and pesticides and incidence of pest infestations by adopting IPM programs;

Whereas the General Assembly of North Carolina supports the School Childrens Health Act (House Bill 1502) which states it is incumbent upon State government to address public health and environmental issues in the classroom and on school grounds in order to protect the health of school age children. This Bill further outlines: schools can reduce or even eliminate the risks of herbicides and pesticides by using simple, low-cost methods, such as Integrated Pest Management.

Whereas all affected members of a community have the right to know about potential sources of exposure to toxics in their schools, parks, community, and work environments;

We the undersigned respectfully request that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, Town of Chapel Hill and the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department adopt policies requiring the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on all buildings and grounds of Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools, the Town of Chapel Hill, and Chapel Hill playgrounds, parks, soccer fields and other green spaces and recreational areas in order to reduce the use of pesticides, eliminate the use of herbicides, and improve pest control and environmental quality.