The division protects the public from improperly prepared and used pesticides and from groundwater contamination around commercial pesticide storage sites and promotes the concept of integrated pest management in schools. Illinois has approximately 750 licensed structural pest control business locations as well as 60 registered non-commercial (not-for-hire, in-house pest control) locations that use restricted pesticides. The division licenses and routinely inspects each of these locations. It also certifies approximately 2,600 individuals by examination to use or oversee the application of general and restricted-use pesticides and investigates incidents of pesticide misuse.
Vectors are insects, ticks, rats, mice, birds and other animals that transmit disease-producing organisms to humans. To prevent the human disease and discomfort caused by these vectors, the division provides technical information to local health departments, governments, mosquito abatement programs and the public on methods to monitor and control them. The Division also awards annual grants to local health departments to conduct vector surveillance and control programs. Division staff identify about 300 specimens of insects and other pests each year. They also conduct surveys for mosquitoes, flies and ticks to detect the presence and significance of potential disease vectors associated with the improper storage, handling and disposal of tires, improper waste disposal and natural conditions. About 5,000 wild birds are collected and their blood sampled each year to monitor for mosquito-borne encephalitis viruses.
Entomology/Pest Management Fact Sheets
Seminars on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools
  |
Illinois Department
of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments |