Newsworthy

States Seek School Pesticide Legislation

Solutions are scarce as conflicts continue between environmentalist groups and industry representatives

The pesticide regulation debate seems to be a constant one between environmentalists and business. For nearly a year, Congress has attempted to negotiate the School Environmental Protection Act (SEPA), sponsored by New Jersey Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), in a manner that would protect school children without excessively burdening the pesticide and chemical industry. Most recently, SEPA was included in the Farm Bill, passed by a coalition of Senators and House Representatives in February. Previously, the proposed bill has been held up by the House Agriculture Committee.

Due to the federal government’s inability to find common ground, lawmakers are now seeking to pass pesticide legislation in their respective states.

“States have become increasingly concerned with the potential harmful effects pesticide products can have on people and the environment,” says International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Lincolnwood, Ill., legislative representative Dan Wagner.

Currently, the New Jersey Senate is considering legislation that would create guidelines for pesticide use in schools. The ISSA and other industry leaders have formally discouraged passage of the New Jersey law, saying that it is overly restrictive for the pesticide industry.

“I can understand people wanting to have safe schools, but there is more than one side to the issue,” says Jon Scoles, president of the New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association (NJSSA). “The problem is that New Jersey has become the most regulated state in the nation, other than California. It’s good to have safety precautions, but a janitor shouldn’t need to get certification every time he cleans.”

Certain requirements are unnecessary and do not increase the safety of the school environment, according to Wagner. For example, if the bill is passed, New Jersey educational agencies and schools will be required to universally inform parents 72 hours in advance of pesticide treatment.
“Requiring 72-hour advance notification is excessive,” says Wagner. “Rather, New Jersey should follow the lead of states like Massachusetts and New York, who require 48-hour notification, which allows schools more flexibility to manage their pest programs.”

In addition, he contends that informing every parent about pesticide application is unwarranted. “Universal notification is unnecessary and overly costly. Establishing a general notification registry is preferable,” says Wagner. “Under a registry system of notification, only those parents who express a desire for such information will be notified.”

Although passage of the overall bill would not be welcomed by the jan/san industry, manufacturers and distributors have praised New Jersey lawmakers’ decision to exclude antimicrobial products from the category of potentially harmful pesticides. Whereas environmentalist groups once refused to accept the use of any pesticides, they now appear to be endorsing environmentally friendly — or green — pesticides.

Scoles tells of a face-off in the 1980s when environmentalists tried to pass a law restricting crop dusting by farmers. “The farmers were supposed to give notice and send out certified letters every time they dusted their crops. They would have spent more time writing letters than farming,” he says. “So the New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association went and testified in court about the use of pesticides. Of course we want people to be safe, but we have to understand both sides of the issue.”

Other states look to follow the trend of passing their own form of pesticide regulation. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture recently issued a final regulation concerning the use of pesticides in Kentucky schools, requiring that they implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and provide advance notification to parents.

NAW Hosts Webcast

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) hosted a Web conference in February that featured remarks by President George W. Bush; an economic forecast by Allen Sinai, chief global economist and president of Decision Economics Inc.; and a round table discussion with four wholesale- distribution industry leaders.

Those who missed the discussion can view the Webcast in its entirety through the NAW’s website.

NAW conducted a poll during the Webcast on a number of topics. Participants were asked the question, “Assuming your company provides group health insurance benefits to your employees, what was the rate of increase in premium when your group policy was last renewed?” Of 147 responses, 45 percent said their increases were 16 to 25 percent; 34 percent said they were 15 percent or less; 12 percent said 26 to 35 percent and 10 percent experienced increases over 35 percent.

Another question asked, “If premium costs continue to increase how will companies respond?”

Of 198 responses, 56 percent said they would increase employee contribution; 21 percent said they would increase the deductible; 17 percent said increase co-payment; 5 percent said do nothing and 1 percent said they would drop benefits or terminate the program.

Respondents were overwhelmingly optimistic when asked: “Do you think the economy will rebound this year?” Eighty-three percent said yes.

More poll results and Webcast information can be found on NAW’s website.

NJSSA Prepares for Atlantic City Trade Show

Distributors, manufacturers and end users are looking forward to the New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association (NJSSA) trade show in Atlantic City, N.J., May 8 and 9. The show will be held at the famous Taj Mahal Trump Plaza.

Jon Scoles, president of the NJSSA and a distributor in Farmingdale, N.J., says that already more than 200 booths have been registered for the event. “I know all the exhibitors are excited,” says Scoles. “We’re the largest regional show in the country, and I think people will get a lot out of it.”

This year marks the first time that the NJSSA trade show will be open to end users (on May 9 only), much like the International Supply Association (ISSA) has gradually opened its trade show to cleaning professionals over the last few years.

Other events include a golf outing and the president’s cocktail reception.

ISSA District 1 and 2 meetings will also be held May 8.

Although the event is directed toward the NJSSA’s core membership of East Coast business owners, attendees come from as far away as California to view new products and learn more about the jan/san industry.

To find out more, visit the NJSSA website.

News Makers

Steamin’ Demon Sales Co., Granville, Ohio, has announced that Collins & Aikman (C&A), a major supplier of carpeting for the schooling and educational market, has officially endorsed the Steamin’ Demon II High-Flow extractor for vinyl-backed carpet tiles and broadloom products.

Advantage Marketing, Chicago, an international alliance of wholesalers, has announced that it will use the Internet more extensively for its 2002 marketing. Advantage Marketing will now be sending e-mails to notify distributors of research and survey results.

Kimberly-Clark, Roswell, Ga., announced that it has received an arbitration ruling that resolves the second of two disputes involving the company’s Mobile, Ala., mill. The company will make a one-time, pretax payment of approximately $27 million to Mobile Energy Services Co., the energy supplier to the company’s tissue mill.

Chelsea Group, Itasca, Ill., recently released a new study showing the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ). The poll of insurance industry leaders revealed that building owners and managers — even homeowners — may be at risk of being uninsurable if they have poor IAQ practices.

Dri-Eaz Products Inc., Burlington, Wash., hosted a special session of the DriZone Applied Structural Drying (ASD) School and donated over $13,000 to the American Red Cross for ongoing relief efforts in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11.

Royal Appliance Mfg., Co., announced a licensing agreement with Proctor & Gamble Co. for the second half of 2002. The two companies will join to launch a new product together that is to be announced at a later date.

Kaivac Inc., Hamilton, Ohio, recently announced several organizational changes designed to increase its productivity and growth. One change is that Bob Robinson has been promoted to executive vice president.

AFFLINK, Tuscaloosa, Ala., announced that five distributors have joined recently: Jescoe Industrial Supplies, Minneapolis; Central Supply Co., Fresno, Calif.; TDS Distribution, Farmingdale, N.Y.; Key Quimica, Monterrey, Mexico; and Sullivan Sanitation Supplies, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.