Section 7.204 - Pesticide Use in School DistrictsAll pesticides used by school districts must be registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the department, with the exception of those pesticides that have been exempted from registration by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Section 25(b). All pesticides used by school districts must also bear a label as required by FIFRA and Chapter 76 of the Texas Agriculture Code. Pesticides intended and labeled for use on humans are exempt from this section. Pesticide use must also meet the following requirements:
(1) Pest control signs shall be posted at least 48 hours prior to a pesticide application inside school district buildings, including residential properties, as provided for under § 7.148 of this chapter (relating to Responsibilities of Unlicensed Persons for Posting and Notification).(2) For outdoor applications made on school district grounds, including residential properties, the treated area must be identified at all entry points with a sign, or must be secured using a locking device, a fence or other practical barrier such as commercially available barrier caution tape, or periodically monitored to keep students out of the treated area until the allowed reentry time.(3) Pesticides used on school district property shall be mixed outside of student occupied areas of buildings and grounds.(4) The use of non-pesticide control measures, non-pesticide monitoring tools and mechanical devices, such as glue boards and traps as permitted in accordance with Division 7 of this subchapter (relating to Integrated Pest Management Program for School Districts), are exempt from posting requirements. The use of non-pesticide tools and devices by unlicensed school district personnel, for monitoring purposes, shall be permitted. Monitoring by unlicensed school district personnel shall be done only as directed, under the supervision of the IPM Coordinator.(5) Pesticide applications shall not be made to outdoor school grounds if such an application will expose students to physical drift of pesticide spray particles. Reasonable preventive measures shall be taken to avoid the potential of drift to occur.(6) School districts are allowed to apply the following pesticides to control pests, rodents, insects and weeds at school buildings, grounds, or other facilities in accordance with the approval for use and restrictions listed for each category: (A) Green Category Pesticides. (i) Definition: A pesticide will be designated as a Green Category pesticide if it meets the following criteria: (I) it contains a CAUTION signal word on the product label, unless no signal word is required to appear on the product label as determined by EPA; and(II) it consists of the active ingredient boric acid; disodium octoborate tetrahydrate or related boron compounds; silica gel; diatomaceous earth; or belongs to the class of pesticides that are insect growth regulators; microbe-based insecticides; botanical insecticides containing no more than 5% synergist (and does not include synthetic pyrethroids); biological (living) control agents; pesticidal soaps; natural or synthetic horticultural oils; or insect and rodent baits in tamper-resistant containers; or for crack-and-crevice use only;(ii) Approval for Use: Green Category pesticides do not require prior written approval. These pesticides may be applied at the licensee's discretion under the guidelines of the school district IPM program.(iii) Restrictions: (I) Green Category pesticides may be applied indoors if students are not present and are not expected to be present in the room or treated area at the time of application. Reentry into the treated area is permitted as soon as the application is complete, the pesticide spray has dried, or the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(II) Green Category pesticides may be applied outdoors if students are not present within ten (10) feet of the application site at the time of treatment. Students are allowed reentry into the treated area as soon as the application is complete, the pesticide spray has dried or the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(B) Yellow Category Pesticides. (i) Definition: A pesticide will be designated as a Yellow Category pesticide if it meets the following criteria: (I) it contains a CAUTION signal word on the product label, unless no signal word is required to appear on the product label as determined by EPA; and(II) it does not meet the criteria to be designated as a Green Category pesticide under subparagraph (A)(i) of this paragraph.(ii) Approval for Use: Yellow Category pesticides require written approval from the certified applicator prior to their use. Yellow Category pesticide approvals shall have a duration of no longer than six (6) months or six (6) applications per site, whichever occurs first.(iii) Restrictions: (I) Yellow Category pesticides may be applied indoors if students are not present or not expected to be present in the room or treated area within the next four (4) hours following the application, or until the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(II) Yellow Category pesticides may be applied outdoors if students are not present or not expected to be present within ten (10) feet of application site and the area is secured and reentry is in accordance with this section for no less than four (4) hours, or until the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(III) The treated area must be clearly posted at all entry points with a sign, or secured using a locking device, a fence or other practical barrier such as commercially available barrier caution tape, or periodically monitored to keep students out of the treated area until the allowed reentry time.(C) Red Category Pesticides. (i) Definition: A pesticide will be designated as a Red Category Pesticide if it meets the following criteria: (I) it contains a WARNING or DANGER signal word on the product label; and(II) it contains an active ingredient that has been designated as a restricted use pesticide, a state-limited-use pesticide or a regulated herbicide; and it does not meet the criteria to be designated as a Green Category pesticide under subparagraph (A)(i) of this paragraph, or a Yellow Category pesticide under subparagraph (B)(i) of this paragraph.(ii) Approval for Use: Prior to the application, licensees must provide written justification to the IPM Coordinator for the use of the Red Category pesticide and must obtain signed approval for the application from the IPM Coordinator. Red Category pesticide approvals shall have a duration of no longer than three (3) months or three (3) applications per site, whichever occurs first.(iii) Restrictions. (I) Red Category pesticides may be applied indoors if students are not present and are not expected to be present in the room or treated area within eight (8) hours following the application, or until the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(II) Red Category pesticides may be applied outdoors if students are not present within twenty-five (25) feet of the application site, the area is secured in accordance with this section, and reentry by students is prohibited for no less than eight (8) hours, or until the reentry interval specified on the pesticide label has expired, whichever interval is longer.(III) The treated area must be clearly posted at all entry points with a sign, or secured using a locking device, a fence or other practical barrier such as commercially available barrier caution tape, or periodically monitored to keep students out of the treated area until the allowed reentry time.4 Tex. Admin. Code § 7.204
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 40, Number 51, December 18, 2015, TexReg 9118, eff. 12/21/2015; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 48, Number 02, January 13, 2023, TexReg 0133, eff. 1/16/2023