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The Management of Infestations in the Public Space

CONTEXT

 

In recent years various incidents and accidents related to the application of pesticides have been described in Catalonia, in some cases resulting in serious health problems. These incidents are caused by various factors, such as the incorrect use of products, deficient assessments of risk levels and the inadequate implementation of precautionary and safety measures.

Moreover, there have been numerous cases of the abuse of these products, that is, applying periodic treatments when in many cases it is not necessary or more suitable control methods could be used.

OBJECTIVE

• Establish preventive measures in pest management activities based on the use of environmental pesticides (biocides to control rodents, birds, insects, arachnids and other arthropods) and in endotherapy phytosanitary treatments and integrated treatments (trees and plants).
• Reduce the use of chemical products in the management of pests to prevent environmental contamination and minimise the incidence of acute and chronic intoxications caused by these products.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Foster the management and comprehensive control of infestations based on alternative approaches and techniques rather than chemical methods. This methodology integrates health protection, environmental and effectiveness criteria, in such a way that the methods used are proportionate to the problems to be solved and do not compromise public health.
• Design prevention plans to prevent the appearance of infestations.
• Avoid the use of chemical products that have adverse effects on health (IARC, 2015). Replace them, for example, with mechanical methods or natural predators.
• Reorient pest control towards integrated pest management and control strategies. Contract pest control companies that apply a programme based on the principles of integrated pest management.
• Raise public awareness about the use of ecological products and natural predators in their buildings.
• Inform the public of pest management actions.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

LEGISLATION

• Real Decreto 830/2010, de 25 de junio, por el que se establece la normativa reguladora de la capacitación para realizar tratamientos con biocidas
• Real decreto 3349/1983. de 30 de noviembre por el que se aprueba la Reglamentación técnicosantaria para la fabricación, comercialización y utilización de plaguicidas.
• Directiva 2009/128/CE, del 21 de octubre de 2009, por la que se establece el marco de la actuación comunitaria para conseguir un uso sostenible de los plaguicidas.
• Real Decreto 1311/2012, de 14 de septiembre, por el que se establece el marco de actuación para conseguir un uso sostenible de los productos fitosanitarios.

STUDIES AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

• Guia per a la contractació del servei de control de plagues. Publicació web del Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya i del Servei de Salut Pública de la Diputació de Barcelona.
• IARC, 2015. Avaluació de cinc insecticides i herbicides organofosfats. Agència Internacional per la Recerca del Càncer. Organització Munidal de la Salut.IARC Monographs Volume 112.
• García del Pino, F.; Franco Gutiérrez, S. 2005. Manual d'actuació de control integrat de plagues adreçat als usuaris dels serveis de control de plagues.
• OMS, 2008. Public Health Significance of Urban Pests.

OTHER LISTINGS OF THE GUIDE

• Equipaments. Seguretat i ús. Fitxa "Control Integrat de plagues".

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