Swampscott Board of Health wants to go green

SWAMPSCOTT-The Board of Health is trying to promote more environmentally-friendly practices on town owned property and will be seeking the support of the selectmen.The Board of Health passed the existing environmental practices policy in May 2002 and it was revised this fall.Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the Board of Health is asking the selectmen to endorse its new organic pest management policy, which expands the current practices.?Currently the Department of Public Works only uses organic pesticides on recreational spaces where children play,” he said. “The Board of Health wants to expand that to all public property in town.”The new pest management policy states “it is in the best interest of public health to eliminate the use of toxic pesticides on town-owned land and in public buildings.” The policy also encourages the reduction and elimination of the toxic pesticides on private property and strives to to introduce and promote organic management practices everywhere in town including private property.The policy also has an educational component. It calls for public education and training for all town employees who work with turf grass and landscaping along with employees responsible for pest control in public buildings. It also provides that “townspeople in general, all receive access to and/or training in natural, organic turf, landscape, and pest management.”The policy also calls for an active Organic Pest Management (OPM) committee, which is charged with serving as a “pest management board.” The committee will consist of six members. According to the policy, the committee will meet a minimum of four times a year and will oversee the organic pest management policy.The major difference between the two policies is the new one requires review and approval of the Board of Health before any pesticide can be used on town owned land.The previous policy required the use of any pesticide on town owned property to be reported to the Board of Health, which is responsible for recording and monitoring all use.Maylor pointed out the Board of Health can’t mandate the policy so it is looking for the endorsement of the selectmen.