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Health Care
Integrated Pest Management in Health Care Facilities Project
BACKGROUND:
As evidenced by a Healthy Hospitals report published by Beyond Pesticides and Healthcare Without Harm, our most vulnerable populations—newborns, the sick and the elderly—are unknowingly exposed to pesticides used in health-care facilities across the country. Yet few health care facilities are aware of this critical issue, and most are not protecting patient and employee health by implementing a sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and organic landcare to reduce or eliminate toxic pesticides in and around their facilities.
As the Healthy Hospitals Report states, "Hospital patients who have compromised immune and nervous systems, the elderly, infants and children and those who have an allergy or sensitivity to pesticides are particularly vulnerable to their toxic effects. Patients taking certain medications may also have heightened reactions to pesticides." While it is important that health care facilities be free from pests that pose health risks, it is also critical that patients and employees be protected from chemicals that also threaten health. For example, pulmonary patients are put at risk when exposed to pesticides that exacerbate respiratory illness, and cancer patients may be exposed to pesticides that are probable carcinogens.
Results of a more recent survey of Maryland health care facilities' pest management practices, conducted by project partners MPN and Beyond Pesticides, indicate that pest management at most of the facilities depends to a significant degree on toxic chemical pesticides. A report on the survey, released in 2008 (see report link below), indicates that pesticides being used in a significant number of Maryland's heath care facilities are associated with a range of health effects including nervous system damage, respiratory effects, and endocrine disruption. Integrated Pest Management and organic landcare can eliminate reliance on pesticide use.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Health Care Facilities Project promotes the adoption of IPM through research, education, and outreach to heath care facilities, and by working directly with select health care facilities through pilot partnerships on IPM strategies to reduce or eliminate patient and employee exposure to toxic pesticides. The Project, initiated in 2005 by project partners MPN and Beyond Pesticides in collaboration with MD Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (MDH2E), paved the way for implementation of IPM at health care facilities in Maryland, including major hospitals, elder care, and psychiatric facilities. These facilities are transitioning to IPM and natural land care through non-chemical pest prevention, with least-toxic pesticides only used as a last resort.
The Project partners include: Broadmead
Retirement Community, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Lifebridge Health, Medstar Health, Mercy Medical Center, Springfield Hospital Center and University of Maryland
Medical
Center,
The Project provides Maryland facilities and health care organizations model language for official facility IPM and landcare policies as well as model contracts with pest management control vendors. These documents have been of significant benefit to the facilities participating in the Project as well as to vendors working with, and those wanting to work with, health care facilities. Please contact the Project Director if you have questions about these documents:
- Sample IPM Policy
- Sample IPM Landcare Policy
- Sample IPM Conttract
- IPM Rounds Checklist
- IPM Bed Bug Protocol
For more information about this Project please contact Matt Wallach, Project Director, mwallach@beyondpesticides.org; 410.605.0095.
Creating healthy hospitals and elder care facilities
Download Taking Toxics Out of Maryland's Health Care Sector by Maryland Pesticide Network and Beyond Pesticides (10/27/08)
- Report press release
- Press conference video footage and media
- Read an article from the Baltimore Examiner on pesticides in health care facilities from the Baltimore Examiner: PDF file
- Also from the Baltimore Sun: PDF file
- Listen to a discussion on pesticides in health care facilities that aired on WYPR on December 16, 2008: MP3 file
On October 27, 2008, Maryland Pesticide Network, Beyond Pesticides and leading Maryland hospitals and elder care facilities released Taking Toxics Out of Maryland's Health Care Sector: Transition to Green Pest Management Practices to Protect Health and the Environment, a report documenting practices and policies to eliminate toxic pesticide use. The changes reflect a heightened awareness of the need to protect particularly vulnerable populations from serious health risks associated with pesticide exposure, including Parkinson's disease, asthma, cancer and other illnesses.