6190P Integrated Pest Management (Procedures)

Original Date: 6/28/2005 * Last Revision Effective: 3/12/2025
Policy Contact: Vice President, Administrative Services

Purpose

The following procedures are established to meet the requirements for implementing policy #6190 – Integrated Pest Management with the least effect to people, pets, other animals and the environment.

Procedures

Pesticide Application

  • Type of Pesticides – At no point will a high hazard chemical, by ingredient, that is found to be acutely toxic to salmonids be used without written case review by Salmon-Safe. The written case will demonstrate method of application, rate, timing, location, and amount.
  • Restricted use zones – Pesticide use is specially managed within waterways and waterway buffers. For this purpose, buffers are defined as a corridor of land that is 60 feet in width on each side of a body of water. Measurement of this buffer zone begins at the edge of the water line at the time of application and is measured horizontally. Seasonal weather patterns that affect water levels will be included in the decision-making process.
  • Pesticide Treatment of Trees – Injection or paintbrush applications are the only application methods that are allowed on campus.
  • Application Equipment – Pesticide applications for vegetation other than trees are done by hand and using low-volume, low pressure single-wand sprayers, wiping, daubing, and painting equipment or injections systems. The methods used will minimize fine mists and ensure that applied materials reach targeted plants or targeted soil surfaces.
  • Pesticide Drift – At no point will pesticide applications be done with wind speeds over 5 mph or during a weather inversion.
  • Pesticide Application Timing – Pesticides are not applied when it is raining (unless otherwise directed by label instructions) or when there is potential for transport by runoff. Timing will account for expected impacts of anticipated storm events.
  • Early Learning Center – Any application made to the early learning center landscape or building facilities will follow IPM procedures; as well as the requirements stated in RCW 17.21.415.
  • For a list of Salmon-Safe Urban high hazard pesticides visit the Salmon-Safe Urban Standards PDF for high hazard chemicals.

Posting Requirements

Campus Grounds; buildings, grounds and athletic facilities
Pesticide application signage must be posted at each time of application by the individual licensed applicator. Notification signage must meet the following standards:
Size:             8 ½” by 11”
Paper:          Brightly colored cardstock or laminated paper
Text Color:    Black

Header:

  • “PESTICIDE APPLICATION” All capital letters, bold, and a minimum 1/2” high with Bellevue College Logo
  • “This landscape has been treated by: Bellevue College (insert department)”

All capital letters and a minimum of ¼” high text

Other Information:

  • PRODUCT NAME/TYPE:
  • Date applied:
  • FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE call: [DEPARTMENT]* (include applicator or contact name and phone number)

These titles are to be a minimum ¼” high, all capital letters

Posting:

  • Post at points of entry
  • Post in front of area treated
  • Leave sign in place for a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours

Pesticide Storage

All pesticides used on campus will be registered and approved with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Pesticides will be stored in a clearly posted and secure site not accessible to students or other unauthorized personnel.

Pesticide Application Device Cleaning

All pesticide application devices will be rinsed, cleaned, and readied for storage in accordance with Washington State pesticide laws. Devices shall be rinsed and readied for storage in Campus Operations at the wash station near the warehouse.

Pesticide Disposal

All pesticides in need of disposal shall adhere to the rules of WSDA and to the instructions indicated on the label.

Construction Design

All future construction, renovations, and landscape modifications will incorporate pest exclusion, prevention, and other established IPM techniques in the planning, design and construction process.

Responsibilities

IPM Coordinator

The grounds manager shall be designated as the IPM program coordinator and will oversee the implementation of the IPM policy on the campus.

The College and IPM coordinator will coordinate with the responsible Bellevue College employees to acquire a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) pesticide applicator’s license, and the continued education required to maintain the license.  Individual departments will be responsible for funding this license obtaining process and continued education credits to maintain licenses.

The IPM coordinator will also have regular and frequent communication with vendors regarding compliance.

Pesticide Applicators

All applicators will be currently licensed as public pesticide applicators by the WSDA. Licensed applicators must be specifically endorsed with Aquatic Pest Control, Ornamental Insect and Disease Control or Turf and Ornamental Weed Control. Pesticide applicators will be educated and trained in the principles and practices of this policy.

Departments

There are three departments/areas on campus that are responsible for applying pesticides, including; buildings and grounds, athletics, and the science division. Each department will be responsible for the development of an IPM plan that applies to their individual area. This plan will be reviewed and approved by the IPM Program Coordinator.

As required by law, pesticide application records will be used for every pesticide application. Bellevue College will use “Pesticide Application Record (Version 1)” designed by WSDA. Records are required to be kept for seven years.

As part of ongoing IPM best management practices, each department will keep pest monitoring records to demonstrate the effectiveness of chemical management and long-term ecological population monitoring.

The following departments will be individually responsible for keeping pesticide application records, pest monitoring records, material safety data sheets, and pesticide labels for the pesticides used in each area:

  • Buildings/grounds applications – building and grounds manager
  • Baseball field applications – athletics
  • Science division/greenhouse applications – science lab manager
  • Greenhouse and associated garden beds applications – science division

Definitions

  • For the purpose of this policy, a “pest” includes any insect, rodent, nematode, snail, weed, fungus or other forms of plant or animal life that adversely interferes with the health, safety, aesthetic, environmental or economic goals of the college. A pest does not include viruses or microorganisms on or in a living person or animal but shall include plant diseases.

Pesticides

  • The term “pesticide” includes any chemical agent registered as a pesticide by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, which includes herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, or other chemicals that repels, changes the regular growth rate of, kills, or otherwise reduces levels of a targeted pest or pests.

Integrated Pest Management

  • “Integrated pest management” (IPM) means a coordinated decision-making and action process that uses the most appropriate pest control methods and strategy in an environmentally and economically sound manner to meet agency programmatic pest management objectives.
Relevant Laws and Other Resources
  • RCW 17.21.415
  • RCW 17.21 Washington Pesticide Application Act
  • RCW 17.15 Integrated Pest Management

Revision History

Original 6/28/2005
Revisions 5/21/2009; 9/17/2012; 5/13/2015; 3/12/2025

Approved By

President’s Cabinet

Last Updated April 8, 2025