Pesticides are becoming more problematic than helpful to the environment, causing UConn Extension educator Victoria Wallace to begin a series to bring awareness to on-campus restrictions. Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture from Flickr Creative Commons.
The University of Connecticut Extension recently created a series made to bring awareness to pesticide restrictions on school grounds in Connecticut.
UConn Extension educator Victoria Wallace said that the series was started following a major ban on pesticides in the state of Connecticut.
“In 2010, Connecticut state legislation banned the application of all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered landscape and lawn care pesticides on the grounds of public and private pre-K and K-8 schools,” Victoria Wallace said.
UConn Extension’s aim with this series is to clarify the ban for grounds managers, administrators, parents, guardians and teachers, as well as other members of the school faculty, Victoria Wallace said.
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“I think it’s a good idea to restrict the use of pesticides on school grounds,” Scott Wallace said. “Pesticides kill insects as well as other organisms in the environment.”
The series is the result of a partnership between UConn Extension, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) and members of several municipal associations that came together to form the Connecticut School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coalition in 2010.
UConn environmental journalism professor Scott Wallace said pesticides should always be banned on school grounds.
“I think it’s a good idea to restrict the use of pesticides on school grounds,” Scott Wallace said. “Pesticides kill insects as well as other organisms in the environment.”
Scott Wallace also said that use of these chemicals should be kept at a minimum.
“These pesticides should be kept at low levels so that they don’t affect birds,” Scott Wallace said. “As an environmental writer, I’ve become more aware of these issues and feel passionate about them.”
Scott Wallace, who recently did a story for National Geographic, said that these chemicals have a bad effect on the environment worldwide.
“The use of pesticides as well as other fertilizers are having a negative effect on rivers like the Amazon,” Wallace said.
For more information, students can read a brochure, a primer for school administrators and a longer primer that includes management information for school grounds managers. These can be found on UConn’s Pest Management website.
Anthony Zepperi is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at anthony.zepperi@uconn.edu.
