Municipalities, Mosquitoes, Pesticides & Regulations What you need to know about municipal or school pesticide applications

What is required for a municipal or school mosquito control program? All pesticide applicators must be licensed as commercial masters or operators in the biting fly & other arthropod vectors category Pesticide includes – adulticides like naled or the pyrethroids: permethrin, phenothrin, resmethrin, as well as – larvicides like Bti, Bs, methoprene, or temephos

What is required for a municipal or school mosquito control program? Even over-the-counter products like mosquito dunks or flying insect sprays require licensed application Larvicide applications to State Waters also require a permit from the DEP

What about use of repellents? Insect repellents like DEET, permethrin or essential oils are also pesticides Both personal property owners and municipal employees can use insect repellents like DEET, permethrin or the essential oils without licensing DEET

What can a municipality or school do if they have no staff licensed? Hire a licensed contractor to do the work – A listing of licensed mosquito control applicators can be seen on the web at mosquito_control_list.htm License town or school staff as commercial pesticide applicators

How do you get staff licensed? Each municipality or school must first license a Master level applicator Additional staff can license at the operator level

How do you get the commercial license? Master level must pass 3 written, closed book exams and 1 oral exam – Written exams cover General pesticide information Biting fly and tick management Regulations Operator level must pass 2 written, closed book exams – Written exams cover General pesticide information Biting fly & tick management Exam fees are waived for government employees

CertificationLicensing License Type Where do I get study materials? Types of Exams Where do I take exams? Exam fees Certification Period License Fee License Duration Commercial - Master UMCE (1) Core and Category Manuals BPC (2) Regulations Manual Minimum of 3 written (Core, one or more categories, and regulation exams) plus a Master's Oral exam BPC Offices by prefiled exam application only $10 each for the Core and for each category exam $50 for the regulation and Master's Oral exams 6 years$70 2 year renewable 12/31 Commercial – Operator (3) UMCE Core and Category Manuals Minimum of 2 written (Core and one or more category exams) BPC Offices by prefiled exam application only $10 each for the Core and for each category exam 6 years$70 2 year renewable 12/31

What areas can the municipality treat? Municipal owned properties only Unless a public health emergency has been declared … permission must be obtained from all landowners before treatment is allowed

Notification & monitoring requirements If done by aerial application, notices must be published in the newspaper and neighbors within 500 feet of the spray site must be notified individually in writing Applications done on school grounds require IPM practices prior to pesticide application – Pest monitoring – Pest ID – Population over threshold? – Must use non-pesticide controls first

Notification & Monitoring Applications to school grounds also require a 5 day notice of parents/guardians and staff prior to application If Maine CDC has identified arbovirus positive mosquitoes, birds, mammals or humans in the area, the school notice and IPM requirements are waived, but the area must be posted ASAP

What products can individual property owners use for control? Over-the-counter products on their own property without a license Adulticides onto trees, shrubs and other upland vegetation Larvicides in enclosed waters, i.e., dumpsters, old tires, birdbaths, etc.

When does an individual property owner need a pesticide license? Just like municipal officials, individual property owners must be licensed and must have a NPDES permit to apply larvicides to Waters of the State They would also need a license if they decide to start a business applying any pesticides in their neighborhood or surrounding area

Who to contact Gary Fish Maine Board of Pesticides Control 28 State House Station Augusta ME last.org