vickiholst's blog

In recent years the term ‘GREEN’ has become synonymous with local, national and global efforts to protect the planet from environmental degradation, and today the reality is that “green” philosophies are becoming driving forces that are modifying behaviors and actions in the US and internationally. These behavioral changes are being adopted by the entire population spectrum, from individuals to corporations and governments. Pest management professionals are rapidly realizing the significance of adopting “green” strategies – often considered a challenge as the urgent need to eradicate pest infestations has historically involved application of pesticides using materials and methods that often conflict with the principles of environmental protection.

One of the newer environmental awareness initiatives that has entered the scene is LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It represents the US Green Building Council's effort to provide a national standard for what constitutes a "green building". There are several ways that pest management practices can impact a business or buildings’ compliance with LEED approved standards, however the following summary best describes the basic premise: I

n order to reduce the environmental impact of pest management activities the methods used must focus on the three ‘E’s:

• Exclusion

• Elimination of pest harborage within a facility

• Elimination of food and water sources

The Pest Management Professional (PMP) needs to concentrate his/her efforts on carrying out detailed inspections, concentrating on areas of a building that are most likely to allow entry of pests and areas that provide the harborage, food and water sources needed for pest survival. The PMP, now more than ever, needs to be highly trained and familiar with pest biology and habits. The PMP should also utilize non-chemical monitoring tools that can increase the probability of capturing and identifying pests before the population builds and the infestation becomes widespread. The PMP must have the ability to communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, with building management in order that pest prevention recommendations are effectively relayed and corrective actions described accurately and in a timely fashion. These recommendations should include reporting of sanitation issues, points of entry that can be sealed and internal structural features that can be sealed or modified to reduce breeding and harborage sites for insect or rodent pests.

Even with the most fastidious inspection techniques, pests can be introduced (for instance on deliveries and goods brought in by building occupants) and localized infestations will require some form of treatment. If an insecticide treatment is required there are three factors that will influence the environmental impact of the treatment; the location of the application, the formulation of the chemical used and the chemical active ingredient. Taking each of these individually;

1) Location of treatment: Application of insecticides should be primarily limited to cracks and crevices used by insects for harborage. This limits surface exposure potential and also increases the probability of directly contacting the insects, rather than leaving a surface residue and hoping that the insects leave the harborage and absorb a lethal dose by walking across the material.

2) Application formulation: There are several formulations of insecticides manufactured. For lowest environmental impact, formulations selected should contain minimal amounts of volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.) to reduce the probability of air-borne material moving away from the treated site. The application procedures used should also be done in a highly controlled and directed fashion to avoid the material drifting into non-target areas.

3) Chemical active ingredient: Despite the controlled application techniques demanded and hence reduction in exposure potential to humans, the material used should not contain active ingredients that have an inherently high toxicity to non-target species (including humans and other mammals). I

f rodent infestations should be introduced within a building, the primary control measures utilized should involve non-chemical capture techniques. The use of rodenticides inside structures is discouraged due to the lack of control over where the target rodents may die (leading to potential problems with odor and secondary infestations from carcass feeding insects). If rodenticides are deemed necessary on the exterior of a building, they must be placed in tamper resistant stations, secured in place to prevent theft or spillage. In areas that are deemed to have a high risk of exterior rodent activity, non-toxic baits can be used as activity indicators, being switched for rodenticide baits when activity is detected. I

n summary; the notion of a “green” approach to pest management in buildings is more than merely a catch phrase. Pest management companies that wish to tackle the challenges associated with protecting large, multi-purpose structures from pest infestation must be prepared to invest in hiring and training professionals that understand the relationship that exists between pest control and environmental protection. By focusing efforts on effective inspection protocols, effective communication with building management and utilizing the most up-to-date, low impact methods and materials, pest management professionals can achieve goals that are a perfect match for the goals sought by initiatives such as LEED.

Contributed by Chris Bowley, Entomologist for Horizon Pest Control

Horizon Pest Control can implement a truly “green” approach to pest management in your home or business. Please call today at 201-447-2530 or visit www.horizonpestcontrol.com to schedule your FREE “Green” Pest Inspection.