Pesticide-Related Programs and Services

The following are Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) pesticide-related programs and services. This is not a comprehensive list of all MDH programs/services.

Develop Standards and/or Advisory Levels for Contaminants: We develop standards and/or advisory levels for contaminants in drinking water or air, including pesticides. These values are used by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and others to assess health risks from pesticide exposures. For more, information see:

• Health Risk Limits Rules for Groundwater
• Health Risk Values Rules for Ambient Air

Provide Information about Pesticide Health Risks: We develop fact sheets and other information about pesticide health risks, such as:

• Evaluating Your Pesticide Risk
• Pesticide Drift Exposure and Your Health (PDF)

Monitor instances of acute work-related pesticide Illness and Injury: We track acute work-related pesticide illnesses and injuries that are reported to the Poison Control Centers. For more information, see:

• Acute Work-Related Pesticide Associated Illness and Injury Reported to Poison Control Centers

Promote Integrated Pest Management in Schools: We promote the use of Integrated Pest Management practices in schools, as a strategy to prevent unnecessary exposures to pests and pesticides. A primary focus of this effort is providing support to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in the development of IPM training materials for schools. We also work directly with schools and school districts to integrate IPM in Indoor Air Quality Management Plans. For more, information see:

• Pesticides in Schools

Protect Drinking Water Quality: We assure the compliance of community (public) water supplies with the Safe Drinking Water Act, which includes federal standards for several pesticides. We also collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on a special project to monitor for pesticides in community public water supply wells. For questions about pesticides and your private well, contact the MDH Well Management Section at 1-800-383-9808. For general information about pesticides in drinking water, see:

• Drinking Water Protection
• 2015 Reconnaissance Study of Pesticide Compounds in Community Public Water Supply Wells (PDF)

Conduct Surveillance and Education to Prevent Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases: We conduct surveillance and education to prevent mosquito and tick-borne diseases. This information is used by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, local governments, health care professionals, and the public to prevent the spread of disease. For more information, see:

• Mosquitoborne Diseases
• Tickborne Diseases
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control (IDEPC)

Prepare for Emergencies/Pesticide Security: We are collaborating the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Department of Emergency Management and others to prepare for emergencies and provide for pesticide security measures. For more information, see:

• Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery

Non-MDH Programs

• Waste Pesticide Collection Program
• Metropolitan Mosquito Control District
• National Pesticide Information Center