Washington Laws & Best Practices
Pesticide Posting and Notification Law for Public Schools & Licensed Daycare Facilities
[RCW 17.21.415] Washington public schools and licensed daycare facilities are required to inform parents and guardians of students and employees of pesticide use in buildings and on facility grounds. A comprehensive notification must be provided annually in writing that explains why and how pesticides are used and also notification must be provided before each application. Pesticide applications should be posted and records of the applications kept and made available.
Compliance Tools
Compliance Guide for the Use of Pesticides at Public Schools (K-12) & Licensed Daycare Centers
The “Compliance Guide” provides a summary of the requirements of the legislation, a list of definitions, and information on notification and posting, recordkeeping and licensing.
Schools & Licensed Day Cares Pesticide Notification & Records Inspection Checklist
This is the checklist each WSDA inspector will use when conducting a routine inspection at a Washington state school or licensed day care center.
Guidelines for Schools Next to Agricultural Operations
Communication guidelines and emergency procedures for pesticide drift.
Waste Pesticide Disposal
WSDA, in conjunction with local agencies, regularly collects unusable pesticides for proper disposal. Contact the department through their toll free number (1-877-301-4555) to see if you qualify for this free service.
Document Templates
RCW 17.21.415 requires that specific information must be made available to parents or guardians of students and school employees. Schools must be able to provide a written notification upon request that describes the school’s pest control policies and methods, including the posting and notification requirements. Schools must also produce an annual summary of pesticide use; the annual summary must include all pesticides used in the school for which there are records. The following templates include two examples of a written notification and one example of an annual pesticide summary.
Written Notification Example #1
IPM for Washington State Agencies and Higher Education
[RCW 17.15] The legislature declares that it is the policy of the state of Washington to require all state agencies that have pest control responsibilities to follow the principles of integrated pest management.” All state agencies including institutions of higher education (universities, community colleges, etc.) must have policies and procedures and produce a biennial summary report which is compiled and sent to the legislature.