Detailed Pesticide Use by Agency

City Engineering: City Engineering Division’s pesticide use policy for 2002 identifies several projects such as landscape maintenance of medians on John Nolan Dr, North Shore Dr, Broom St, Blair St, Wilson St, and others that will receive herbicide treatment for control of broadleaf weeds. City Engineering contracted with Glacier Landscape in 2001 and, at the time of their report, had not yet selected a contractor for 2002. In 2001, a total of 2.9 L of Razor (1.2 L of the active ingredient glyphosate) was applied during three separate applications. In 2000, City Engineering reported that their staff or contractors did not apply pesticides on city property but did not submit a revised pesticide use policy for pesticide applications in 2001.

Community and Economic Development Unit: The Community and Economic Development Unit works with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and private property management companies (currently Landmark Management, Inc and Meridian Group, Inc) to manage and maintain city-owned, market value, residential properties at multiple addresses around the city. Agency staff has delegated all pesticide application responsibilities to the management companies including policy review and pesticide use reporting. Pesticide use reports for these properties were submitted for 1992 – 1998 and 2001. It is not possible to evaluate the change in pesticide use over time from these reports due to inconsistency in the reporting of pesticides applied.

Fire Department: In the past, the Fire Department has contracted for the application of pesticides inside the city’s fire stations to control insect pests and has purchased lawn fertilizer and herbicide products for employees to use during lawn maintenance. The Fire Department last submitted a pesticide use report for 1996. The Fire Department’s most recent pesticide use plan was submitted for 1997 and indicated that private contractors will be used to control indoor pests and that Department staff will apply pesticides as needed to control nuisance weeds. It is not possible to evaluate the change in pesticide use over time due to inconsistency in the reporting of pesticides applied.

Housing Operations Unit: The Housing Operations Unit works with CDA to manage and maintain public housing at various locations around the city. Maintenance of these properties has included contracting with private pesticide applicators to monitor for pests and apply pesticide products as necessary. Pesticide use reports have been submitted sporadically since 1997. Due to incomplete and inconsistent reporting of pesticide use, it is not possible to report changes in pesticide use overtime in these properties.

Inspection Unit: In the past, the Inspection Unit has used pesticides for lawn maintenance and the control of spiders at the Madison Municipal Building. In 2000, the Inspection Unit reported that no pesticide application was necessary and that their pesticide use policy for 2001 would be to avoid use of any pesticide unless there was no other alternative. In 2001, no chemical treatment of lawns was performed. According to their plan submitted in 2001, pesticides are not expected to be necessary in 2002.

Metro Transit: Metro contracts with Terminix Pest Control to apply pesticides within their facility on E Washington Ave and on their buses to control insect pests. Metro employees use Menard’s Weed & Feed and Round-up during maintenance of the grounds around the facility on E Washington Ave, at transfer points and park & ride parking lots. Round-up use was first reported in 1997 with a total of 18 gallons of mixed product applied on Metro properties. In 2000 and 2001, 18 gallons of mixed product was used in each year (see figure 1 for a comparison of Round-up use between agencies). In 1997, 2000, and 2001, Madison Metro reported Round-Up use as gallons of "mixed" product. Metro staff has not responded to a request for further information on the mixture. For this reason, the amounts reported here may be larger than the amount applied. Menard’s Weed and Feed was first reported in 2000 with a total of 1,200 lbs applied for the year. Another 1,200 lbs of Menard’s Weed and Feed was applied in 2001. Prior to 1997, aeration and Safer’s Sharpshooter was used for weed control on Metro properties.

In 2000 and 2001, insecticide applications on buses and within the central facility have dropped to 9.5 L and 8.9 L of concentrated product, respectively. Insecticides applied include Conquer EC, Pyrenone 100, Demand, Demon EC, Tempo 20 WP, Gentrol, Control, and Dursban. In 1991, 0.2 L of concentrated product was applied on buses and within the facilities. Pesticide applications increased to their highest level in 1995 with 19.8 L of concentrated product applied. In addition to liquid product, solid rodent and cockroach baits are placed within the facility and on the buses. In 2000 and 2001, a total of 9.2 and 9.3 kilograms of bait, respectively, were placed in these areas.

Monona Terrace: The Monona Terrace continues to contract with Wil-Kil for pest monitoring and pesticide application as needed within the convention center. In 2001, Wil-Kil visited the convention center 21 times to monitor various areas of the building for signs of pest activity. At 4 of the 21 visits, glue boards and rodent bait stations were placed at various areas of the facility. At 1 of the 21 visits, glue boards, rodent bait stations, and insect bait stations were placed in the facility. Another two visits resulted in the placing of additional rodent bait stations. Neither the numbers of bait stations nor the amount of product were included in the report. No pesticides were applied to building surfaces in gel, liquid, or aerosol form. In 2000, 1 kg of rodent bait and 0.4 L of concentrated pesticide products (Cy-kick, Cessco 5E) were applied to building surfaces. No report was received for 1999.

Motor Equipment: Motor equipment contracts with Terminix for rodent control in the 1^st St Garage. In 2001, 3.6 kg of solid rodenticide (Generation Blocks and Weatherblok XT) were applied during 11 of 12 monthly visits. This is a slight increase from 3.3 kg of rodenticide (Generation Blocks, Contrac, Weatherblok XT, and Falin) placed in 2000.

Parking Utility and Traffic Engineering: These two agencies submit a joint report for pesticide treatments at the field operations office at 1120 and 1212 Sayle St and 125 Larkin. These agencies contract with Terminix for general pest control in the facilities at these addresses. In 2001, 0.8 liters of insecticide and 0.6 kilograms of rodenticide were applied within these three buildings. This was a dramatic decrease from 4.6 liters of insecticide and 3.1 kilograms of rodenticide in 2000. Weed control and lawn maintenance activities in 2001 resulted in the application of 100 pounds of weed and feed (0.761% 2,4-D, 0.341% Mecoprop, and 0.72% Dicamba) at 1120 Sayle St and 2 gallons of Round-Up (42% glyphosate) at the light pole storage yard and various city parking lots and ramps. Quantities of weed and feed and Round-Up were identical to amounts reported in 2000 (see figure 1 for a comparison of Round-up use between agencies).

Parks Department: Pesticide use within the Parks Department is divided into five areas: conservation parks, forestry, general parks, golf courses, and Olbrich Gardens. Maintenance of the golf courses accounts for the majority of pesticides applied by Parks Dept staff. The pesticides applied on the golf courses are listed in Table 3. Although Parks Dept employees use a wide variety of pesticides within the greenhouses, gardens, and grounds at Olbrich Gardens, the amount of pesticide applied is much smaller than in the golf courses (see Table 4). Pesticide applications in general parklands are limited to spot treatment of stumps, noxious weeds, and weeds growing in no vegetation areas. Treatments in 2000 and 2001 included a small amount of weed and feed product and other herbicides including Garlon 4, Ranger, and Round-Up. Similarly, spot herbicide treatments are applied in the conservation parks to eliminate non-native vegetation. In 2000 and 2001, conservation parks were treated with Tordon and Round-Up. No chemical pesticide applications were reported by the forestry staff except for 0.2 L of Round-Up applied in 2001. Figure 1 provides a summary of Round-Up use reported by Parks Department.

Police Department: The Police Department contracts with Terminix to provide rodent control at their storage garage at 200 N First St. In 2001, Terminix placed 0.57 kg of Generation Blocks (Difethialone 0.0025%) monthly for a total application of 6.8 kg. An identical treatment was made in 2000. No report was submitted for 1998 and 1999. Reports submitted for 1994-1997 listed ~ 30 ounces of rodent bait was applied during each of the four years.

Senior Center: The Senior Center contracts with Terminix for inspection and treatment of the facility at 330 W Mifflin St. In 2000, 0.078 liters of insecticide were applied in the facility. In 2001, 0.05 liters of insecticide were applied in the bathrooms, entryway, halls, kitchen, offices, and storage areas of the building over 6 visits. This is 35% less concentrated insecticide product than was applied in 2000. No rodenticide was applied in 2001and only 2 one-ounce blocks of rodenticide were applied in 2000. Over the last 10 years, pesticide use at the Senior Center has decreased by 85% and pyrethroid insecticides are now applied in place of the more toxic organophosphate insecticides.

Streets: The Streets Division contracts with Terminix to apply insecticide and rodenticide at the reduction plant at 121 E Olin Ave. In past years, they have also contracted for the treatment of the east and west side facilities on Sycamore and W Badger Roads, respectively. In 2001, 0.095 liters of insecticide and 18 ounces of rodenticide were applied at the reduction plant. Madison Department of Public Health did not receive a pesticide use report for 2000. Streets submitted their most recent pesticide use policy in 1991. Since then, pesticide use reports for each of the 3 streets facilities have been received sporadically.