Applicable Regulations
40 CFR Parts 150-189. State of Michigan Act 451 Part 83.
Overview of Procedure
An IPM plan helps the pesticide
applicator to:
- Conduct a site evaluation;
- Identify the presence of insects or
other potential pests;
- Investigate if it has become a pest, and
why;
- Consider the various control methods
that are available;
- Determine which method is most
appropriate;
- Monitor and record results;
- Evaluate effectiveness.
Any University of Michigan employee who
applies pesticides as a part of their regular job responsibilities must be certified
and/or registered in accordance with MDA Regulation R 285.636.
Waste
Minimization Procedure
An IPM plan helps minimize
the amount of pesticide necessary to provide satisfactory control by first considering the
use of non-chemical controls:
1. Structural deficiencies:
- Identify pest entry points and eliminate
using barriers such as self-closing doors, screens, and other physical controls;
- Minimize pest harborage by the use of
heat, cold, light, electricity, desiccants, traps, and other mechanical controls;
- Remove plants that attract pests, trim
bushes, and remove excess mulch;
- Identify and repair sources of moisture
such as leaking roofs, pipes, etc.
2. Sanitation deficiencies:
- Eliminate sources of food by keeping
food preparation areas clean at all times and garbage disposed of in sealed containers;
- Avoid moisture areas by keeping kitchens
and bathrooms clean and dry.
3. Cultural controls:
- Replace plants with more resistant
varieties;
- For landscaping, select plants that are
compatible with local weather and soil conditions and resistant to common pests.
4. Biological controls:
- Introduce species-specific parasitic and
predatory insects or microorganisms to reduce or control a specific pest;
- Use pheromones (chemical sex attractants
secreted by special glands of one or both sexes of insect species) to attract pests to
traps;
- Use bird or bat houses at a specific
location to attract birds or bats that will feed on pests.
When chemical controls are necessary,
an IPM will guide the applicator in taking into account the following factors when
selecting chemicals:
- Active ingredients with the lowest
practical toxicity to humans and non-target organisms; shortest practical persistence in
the environment; and least potential for movement through the soil and contamination of
groundwater;
- Formulations (dust, spray, aerosol,
granule, etc.) that are suitable for the application site, can effectively target the pest
organism, and that can minimize the impact of the toxicant on humans and environment;
- Application equipment and associated
adjuvants (chemicals added to the tank mix to increase effectiveness or safety) that are
appropriate for the application site;
- Application techniques (crack and
crevice, spot treatment, space spray, etc.) that can increase the effectiveness of the
material while minimizing the impact of the product on humans and the environment.
Known
Limitations
An IPM plan requires comprehensive
knowledge and expertise of the pest and pesticide products, as well as knowledge of
environmental factors and conditions. It also requires that the applicator and
customer be willing to consider inspection, monitoring, preventive actions, and the use of
various non-chemical controls as important parts of the program.
Safety
& Health Precautions/Personal Protective Equipment
Follow all applicable
safety and health protocols and regulations as established by your institution.
Benefits
Despite its complexity,
IPM ultimately saves time and money by lessening the pervasiveness of pests in the area of
concern. An IPM plan increases the effectiveness of your pest management program while
minimizing the amount of pesticide necessary to provide satisfactory control of pests.
A properly planned and executed IPM plan will help the applicator recognize and appreciate
the delicate balance of nature, while at the same time allow for introducing subtle
changes to the environment in a manner that reduces the impact on people and nature.
Disadvantages
None known.
Project
Related Costs
Information not available.
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