Pesticide regulation by State Government agencies in the United States

Abstract:
Pesticides and their use are regulated on both federal and state levels in the Unites States. A federal registration for a pesticide product must be obtained after the product has shown that it is safe to use according to the guidelines set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Each state may then choose to register the pesticide product in their state provided the product will not cause an adverse environmental or health effect due to that state’s unique geographical characteristics. Each state, through the state lead agency (SLA), is responsible for regulation of urban pesticide use in their state and those regulations may vary considerably. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in schools is mandatory in some states and voluntary or non-existent in others. Concern about West Nile Virus has caused pesticide regulation for cities and towns in some states that perform community-wide mosquito control applications. Other states may be more concerned about pesticide use on public golf courses or retail outlets that sell pesticides and give pesticide use advice. In addition to legitimate pesticide use in urban areas, states have had to deal with the illegal use of agricultural pesticides in urban areas such as methyl parathion use for control of cockroaches. In every state except the most northern states, termite control and the use of termiticides is the biggest complaint-generator in urban areas. The Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) is a national association that attempts to assist states in structural pest control issues. Forty-two of the fifty states, including Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, and two Native American tribes are currently members of ASPCRO.