Schools look at ways to get the bugs out

The Clark County School District shouldn't rely on pesticides to eliminate cockroaches, which produce feces that are a leading environmental trigger for asthma, a federal official said.

Sherry Glick, the national pesticides and schools coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, told Clark County School Board members and district officials last week that children are much more sensitive than adults to such toxins and are at greater risk for exposure because of their habits.

However, chronic inflammation of the lungs has become so pervasive among schoolchildren that an estimated 13 million school days are lost a year, environmental officials said.

To tackle the bug problem, Glick acknowledged that pesticides are sometimes necessary. But she said there are alternatives for dealing with infestations of insects, spiders and rodents.

A federal strategy called Integrated Pest Management emphasizes "exclusion," or keeping pests out of buildings through "common sense" measures such as covering cracks and crevices, cleaning up clutter and sealing food containers.

The approach is so practical "that it's going to become habit-forming after a while," Glick said.

Districts in New York City and Salt Lake City have adopted Integrated Pest Management, Glick said. And because one Maryland district reduced its pesticide use, it was able to save about $6,000 a year, she said.

Cost concerns, however, are the reason the Clark County School District hasn't embraced the concept, said Associate Superintendent of Facilities Paul Gerner.

Gerner told the School Board on Thursday that he will test Integrated Pest Management at one school to get an idea of the costs involved and the effects on staff workload. He will then report back to the board.

Gerner said he was proud of the district's record for cleanliness. The last known rodent infestation was five years ago at Fremont Middle School, near Sahara Avenue and Maryland Parkway. The school had to close its cafeteria for months as staff set traps for rats that averaged 14 inches in length.

"It was an experience for me and my staff in terms of how wild and crazy you can get," he said.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal. com or 702-374-7917.