2005 Arizona Revised Statutes - Revised Statutes §32-2320  Integrated pest management; reporting requirement; guidelines; definition

A. The commission shall prepare guidelines for an integrated pest management program for structural pest control practices.

B. The guidelines shall consider the following elements:

1. The identification of pests.

2. The establishment of a monitoring and record keeping system for regular sampling and assessment of pest populations.

3. The determination of the pest population levels that can be tolerated based on aesthetic, economic and health concerns and setting action thresholds if pest populations or environmental conditions warrant remedial action.

4. The prevention of pest problems through improved sanitation, the management of waste, the addition of physical barriers and the modification of habitats that attract or harbor pests.

5. The reliance on nontoxic, biological, cultural or mechanical pest management methods or on the use of natural control agents.

6. The use of chemical pesticides, if necessary, with preference for products that are the least harmful to human health and the environment.

C. The commission shall report annually on the progress of implementing the guidelines to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state library, archives and public records.

D. For the purposes of this section, "integrated pest management" means a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.