Community Pest Management Program

Insects and disease have the potential to affect a large number of people across a large area. If a pest or outbreak is present in your area, a local government, community group, or neighborhood association may decide to sponsor a community-wide pest management program. Below are some questions that should be addressed before a final decision is made:

• Is the pest or problem present in your immediate area? If not, then a community-wide program may not be needed.

• If pests are present, what is the extent of the problem? Pest numbers may be too low to justify the cost of a community-wide program. A community-wide program may not be necessary if the problem is in a localized area; individual treatment may be sufficient.

• What are the management options for this pest? Can the pest be controlled in the community without using pesticides? Removing or modifying pest habitats and food, or changing human behavior may be enough to reduce pest numbers to an acceptable level.

• If implemented, how will the effectiveness of the community-wide program be monitored?

• What are the legal requirements of a community wide program?

Legal Requirements of a Community-Wide Program

If, after careful deliberation, the community-wide program chooses to utilize pesticide application, certain legal requirements must be met. Some of these requirements directly affect citizens in the treated area. Michigan law requires the following:

• Contact - The community-wide program must designate a contact person who has knowledge of the program and is responsible for supplying the community with up-to-date information, e.g. a change in the spray date.

• Notification - Prior to any pesticide application, the community must be notified. This can be done by any of three ways:

                1) personal contact...going door to door, etc;

                2) advertisement in at least one newspaper that is circulated

                    in the application area; or

                3) written notification, e.g. postcard in the mail

                   If written notification is chosen as the method of contact, it

                   must include:

            WHO? Name, address, and phone number of pesticide

            applicator (individual or company).

WHAT? Brand name and active ingredient of pesticide(s) used.

HOW? Method of pesticide application (e.g. by truck or by airplane).

WHEN? Schedule date(s) of application.

QUESTIONS? Name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

When multiple use areas, e.g. parks, beaches, playgrounds, and public campgrounds, are treated as part of a community program, the area must be posted. The posting must be done at the primary points of entry, such as the main driveway or parking lot, immediately after application. The signs must remain for at least 24 hours. While the size and the type of sign are not specified under law, it must contain the following information about the pesticide application:

• Name, address, and phone number of applicator (individual or company).

• Brand name and active ingredient of pesticide(s) used.

• Date of application.

• Restrictions on reentering the treated area.

Pesticide Application (Adulticides) - Communities are advised that direct or incidental application of adulticides to surface waters is prohibited by both the pesticide labels and by state regulation. In Prep: Water Division Site.

Community-Wide Programs for Mosquitoes

There are a few special requirements for Mosquito Community-Wide Programs:

• In addition to one of the three methods for prior notification already listed, a comprehensive community outreach program may be used to satisfy the prior notification requirement. For example, some counties in Michigan have an established mosquito control board who is responsible for public outreach and education on the mosquito control program.

• The community wide mosquito program must have a way to notify those community members who request special notification prior to any pesticide application.

• The mosquito control program must also have a method to exclude private property from participating in the mosquito control program.

• The community mosquito control program must aslo provide a contact person who can respond to public questions about the pesticide application.

Please be advised that notification requirements shall be waived in the event of a public health emergency.

Where do I get more information?

Michigan Department of Agriculture: 517/373-1087

http://www.michigan.gov/mda

Michigan State University Pesticide Education & Safety Program

http://www.pested.msu.edu

Printable Brochure on Community Spray Programs