Mainers Invited to Dispose of Unusable Pesticides
Free disposal with pre-registration by October 7
This October, Mainers can dispose of unusable and waste pesticides thanks to a project sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Obsolete Pesticides Collection program, funded through pesticide product registration fees, has kept more than 106 tons of pesticides out of the waste stream since its start in 1982.
This free annual program is open to homeowners, family-owned farms and greenhouses. Collections will occur at four sites -- Presque Isle, Jonesboro, Augusta, and Portland. Pre-registration is required by Monday, October 7, 2019, and unregistered drop-offs are not permitted. All details, including drop off locations and program dates, will be supplied following registration. To register and access important information about the temporary storage and transportation of obsolete pesticides, visit the BPC Web site at thinkfirstspraylast.org or call (207) 287-2731.
Pesticides being accepted include herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, and similar products used in agricultural production or around the home. Past participants in the program have reported finding obsolete pesticides in barns of inherited properties, garages of newly purchased homes, and other unexpected places. While removal of these pesticides can seem daunting, it is important for the protection of public, wildlife, and environmental health that they are dealt with properly and not thrown in the trash or poured down the drain, where they can contaminate land and water resources.
Maine CDC Promotes Awareness of Law to Prevent Vaping in Schools
Maine schools have reported a significant increase in the number of students using electronic smoking devices, commonly referred to as vaping, over the past year.
To support schools in addressing these emerging products, the Maine Legislature passed a bill to prohibit electronic smoking devices at schools, which will take effect tomorrow, September 19, 2019. L.D. 152, "An Act to Prohibit the Possession and Use of Electronic Smoking Devices on School Grounds" was signed into law on April 30, 2019 as an important step to protect young Mainers from the emerging threat of these devices. The State’s biennial budget also allocates $10 million from the Fund for a Healthy Maine for smoking prevention and cessation.
Effective September 19, 2019, Maine law will prohibit use and possession of all tobacco products, including both combustible and electronic products, on school grounds, in school buildings, at school-sponsored events, and on school buses. Tobacco products include cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes, electronic hookahs, other vaping-type products, hookahs, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, as well as filters, rolling papers, and any tobacco or nicotine liquids.
E-cigarettes entered the U.S. marketplace around 2007, and since 2014, they have been the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine, as well as other chemicals known to damage health. The U.S. Surgeon General reports nicotine exposure during adolescence and young adulthood can cause addiction, harm the developing brain, and damage the respiratory system, including the lungs.
Many schools have reached out to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding increased use of electronic smoking devices among students over the past two years. The Maine CDC is compiling updated figures on this increase for release in the fall, but data from the 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey shows 15.3% of high school youth reported using e-cigarettes and 33.2% reported they had tried them.
The law is intended to support school personnel in their work to maintain and ensure tobacco-free school settings. The Maine CDC and its partners have resources to support educators, parents, and communities as the new law takes effect. Additionally, the Maine Tobacco HelpLine can support students, parents, and school personnel who are assisting students interested in quitting.
For more information:
New Maine Kids' Page Website from Secretary of State
Maine’s Secretary of State recently unveiled the Department's new Kids’ Page, which features a Maine woods and waters theme, and a new animation about lawmaking in Maine. The resources here are a great point of reference for anyone who wants to know more about the State of Maine.
The Maine Department of the Secretary of State has hosted the Kids’ Page since the mid-1990s. It is the only State agency to host a full section of its Web site focused on connecting children with Maine history, facts, and information. This redesign is the first major update since 2006. Department staff in the Secretary of State central office, in conjunction with staff at InforME, have been working on the redesign for more than a year.
This upgrade makes the Kids’ Page more user-friendly and accessible to teachers, students, and even for adults who may have forgotten facts such as the scientific name for our official state soil.
The Kids’ Page is an important resource for teachers and parents, with a significant collection of information about the State of Maine. The page features:
- official Maine symbols, such as the State flower and State bird;
- a timeline of Maine history;
- famous Mainers;
- the State song;
- games and puzzles;
- recipes, featuring Maine foods;
- explanatory information about Maine State Government;
- Maine places, products, and native wildlife;
- student programs and contests;
- the path to Maine lawmaking animated video; and
- much more, including links to additional educational resources.
Those with questions about student programs, contests, or other content can contact the Maine Department of the Secretary of State main office at (207) 626-8400.
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