Toxic Free NC, a North Carolina-based organization seeking to fight pesticide pollution, recently released a report detailing their study of pest control usage in 89 local child care centers.  The results are less than encouraging: Over half of the child care providers who participated in Toxic Free NC’s survey said they regularly use broadcast pesticide sprays.

The dangers that pesticides pose to all people are well-known, and these risks are only magnified in children due to their smaller size and still-developing organs.  Additionally, children are more likely to be in close contact with the chemicals due to their tendency to play close to the ground or floor and put objects in their mouths.

While this information is discouraging, there are some signs of progress.  Roughly 25% of survey respondents reported using Integrated Pest Management, a form of pest control that’s gentler on the environment and people’s health that relies largely on the use of information regarding the life cycle and environment of pests and a minimal amount of pesticides.  Currently IPM is the pest control method of choice for most North Carolina public schools–hopefully North Carolina’s child care centers will begin to follow suit.

To learn more about Toxic Free NC as well as to download their full survey report, visit http://www.toxicfreenc.org/informed/bigrisksforsmallkids.html.

-Marygrace Stergakos, KIWI Staff Writer