Kids are not the only ones going back to school, so are pests. Cockroaches, product pests, and bed bugs are all problems that can present themselves at schools. Pest control in schools is essential for teacher and student safety.
Though the EPA has approved many methods of pest control within schools, they also recognize that these methods will not stop infestations alone. Thus, they have strongly suggested that school systems nationwide adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) into their pest control routine.
IPM is a non-toxic pest control strategy. Pest infestations within a school can disrupt learning and more importantly, have negative consequences on the health of students and faculty.
In recent years, many schools have adopted the use of Cryonite in their IPM programs. Freezing pests with Cryonite causes little to no downtime and does not pose any health risks to the students or staff. Learn more about pest infestations in schools and how Cryonite can be an effective tool against them below.
Are Pests a Big Problem in Schools?
In short, yes.
Schools are perfect breeding grounds for cockroaches, bed bugs, and the like. It is relatively easy for a bug to travel into a school using a child or even a staff member as its vehicle. They easily hide in backpacks, clothing, briefcases, boxes, etc.
When they get to school, there are plenty of places for them to live and breed such as cafeterias, classrooms, lockers, gyms, dumpsters, athletic fields, buses, and electronics. Unfortunately, pests love to hide in electronics (especially during the winter).
Electronics can provide bugs with a warm place to live and breed while staying out of the way of people and traditional pest control tactics. In this day and age, that can present a real problem for schools trying to limit unhealthy and unsightly bugs from invading their halls. Cryonite can be safely used to kill pests electronics and is safe to spray directly on the machine.
Understanding the EPA’s Mandate for Integrated Pest Management is About
The EPA has made it a goal to ensure that the nation’s children are able to learn, study and grow in safe educational environments. They have a mission to build partnerships and collaborations to support IPM programs within all schools. The nexus of the EPA prompting IPM is that they recognize that pesticides are dangerous and should not be the only approach used in schools.
While they have enacted a variety of regulations to limit the number of toxins used while ensuring that kids are not exposed to them, this is not enough. Other safe and significant measures must be taken to holistically attack infestations.
How to Safely Rid Your School of Pest
The EPA has a number of safe practices that should be implemented in every school district nationwide. Taking steps like selecting relatively safe pesticides, setting clear entry and re-entry rules for treated areas, and posting pest control notifications are all necessary. However, this will not accomplish the goal of preventing future infestations alone.
Cryonite has emerged as a formidable foe to pests. Small dry ice (snow) particles kill pest instantly. Furthermore, maintenance and other staff members can be quickly trained. Staff trained do not need a license to operate Cryonite machinery. Hospitals, business offices, food processing plants, restaurants, and schools have all successfully used this mode of treatment.
Benefits of Using Cryonite at School
Many pesticides are toxic. If used, they will require a significant amount of downtime that will interrupt learning and extra-curricular activities. Cryonite is a pest control solution that can be used year-round whether schools are in session or not. Listed below are some of the benefits of using Cryonite within your IPM program.
- Safely applied to most surfaces within a school including walls, books, outlets, electronics, furniture, desks, instruments, etc.
- No health risks to students or staff
- There is a quick learning curve and it is easy to apply
- You do not have to hire a pest control company to use Cryonite
- Proven to be safe and cost-effective
It clear that Cryonite is a powerful tool in combating pest infestations. Using it as part of an integrated pest management program accomplished two major goals at once: keeping children safe and eradicating pests.
Cryonite should be used in combination with other efforts. However, its versatility, safety, and overall effectiveness put it in a class of its own.