Sanitation: Keep pests from accessing food and water. This
means cleaning up after yourself, not leaving dirty dishes (human or pet) around
for extended periods, fixing water leaks, keeping stored food in sealed
containers, managing condensation, and practicing other good housekeeping
habits.
Exclusion: Keep pests out of the home. Use window
screens, close doors, install door sweeps, caulk cracks and crevices and fill
or seal holes that might allow pests to gain access to your home.
Habitat
Modification: Modify the habitat that is
most attractive to pests by removing weeds and pruning vegetation along the
perimeter of your home, introducing parasites or predators, and eliminating
clutter indoors and out. This discourages pests from making their home in your
home.
Last Resort: If you need to integrate a pesticide into your control
strategy, start by using the least toxic, where possible. Keep these tips
in mind:
- Read and understand the product’s label before you buy
it! Pay particular attention to precautionary information, e.g.,
recommended protective gear, application methods and conditions,
ventilation requirements, affects on non-target wildlife, hazard
indicators, and disposal instructions.
- Look for products that are less hazardous! Avoid
products labeled as “flammable”, “warning”, “danger”, or “poison”.
- Avoid using aerosol products and “foggers”.
- Use containerized baits and gels that can be placed in
cracks and other areas that pests frequent, away from children and pets.
- Use the minimum amount necessary to achieve control.
Environmental
and Human Health Benefits
Less
hazardous: Using less of a pesticide or a less
toxic pesticide or avoiding pesticide use altogether will result in reduced
exposure of humans, pets, and wildlife to these potentially harmful
chemicals. Eliminating or reducing the use of toxic pesticides can also
translate to reduced liabilities for businesses and institutions.
In July, 2005 The Center for Disease
Control (CDC) released a new study that shows most people in the U.S.,
including children, carry multiple pesticides in their bodies. More than 90% of
the thousands of people tested carried a mixture of pesticides, many linked to
serious health problems. Read more about the pesticides in your body by
visiting CDC.
Air
and Water Quality: Pesticides can
contain volatile organic compounds that negatively affect air quality.
Pesticides can also contaminate the Santa Monica Bay if improperly applied or
when over irrigation or storm water runoff carry these chemicals into the
gutter and into the Bay. The United States Geologic Survey completed a
ground breaking study of chemicals in bodies of water across the country and
found many to be contaminated with insecticides, herbicides and other
pesticides.
End
of Life Management: Accumulating unused or unwanted
pesticides in your organization means you will have to pay to have these
products properly disposed of. Pesticides are regulated as hazardous
wastes and cannot be thrown in the regular trash or poured down a drain.
If you live or work in Santa Monica, contact the Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Center at 310-458-8255 for disposal options and information.
Regulations
and Guidelines
The City does not have nor does it
enforce any pest control guidelines for local businesses or residents.
This is the responsibility of the California Department of Pesticide Regulations
and County officials.
As for Santa Monica’s own
operations, the City has had a very successful IPM program in place since 1996
when the program was formally introduced and implemented within the City as
part of the City’s Toxics-Use-Reduction Program.
Performance
The city’s contracted pest control
contractor has consistently been rated excellent by city staff for their timely
service and effective control of pests. The number of pest related
complaints has decreased since the city transitioned to an IPM program.
IPM techniques and reduced risk
products are very effective at controlling pests in structures. The
longevity of control can be much greater than that of conventional pesticide
use. For instance, if someone has ants crawling into their building or
home, one option might be to contact a pest control company, who might set you
up on a monthly schedule of spraying pesticides around the perimeter of the
building or home to control the ants. You pay every month for this service and
if you ceased the treatments, the ants would return. Another possibility
is that the ant infestation was due to seasonal weather conditions, such as
heat or rain, and that they move back outside soon after these conditions pass.
Or you could just find out where the ants are entering the structure and seal
these points with caulking, which is likely cheaper, does not require
pesticides and provides long term control.
Cost
The City reduced the cost of its
pest control by at least 30% due in large part to not paying for unnecessary
services and treatments. This was accomplished by using the above
mentioned techniques for managing pests that invade structures and by
monitoring pest activity in order to only treat infestations, as they occur.
Specifications
City
of Santa Monica 2007 IPM Services Request for Proposal
City of Santa Monica 2007 IPM Services Conditions for
Professional Services
Santa
Monica, as
well as numerous other organizations in California,
has specifications designed to assist anyone wanting to pursue an IPM
program.
Vendor
Information
The City currently has a contract
with Innovative Pest Management for managing structural pests in city buildings
and structures. They can be reached at 310-322-1999.
If you have had a positive
experience with a pest control company practicing the IPM methods described
above, please let us know.
Sample
of Performance Measures from the GBC Program Checklist
- Obtain material safety data sheets (MSDS) for pesticide
products
- Use or specify in contracts least toxic pest control
methods and products to reduce the use of chemical pesticides
- Correct situations that attract and harbor pests with
proper food and trash storage and landscaping
- Use traps, baits, and barriers to control pests
- Use less toxic pesticides, such as insecticidal soaps,
oils, and microbials and apply on an “as-needed” basis vs. set schedule
- Replace aerosol products with non-aerosol alternatives
Resources and websites
Controlling
Ants
in Your House Fact Sheet
Keeping
Fleas
Off of Your Pets and Out of Your Yard Fact Sheet
Keeping
Cockroaches
Out of Your House Fact Sheet
Controlling
Yellow
jackets Around Your Home Fact Sheet
City of Santa Monica Resources and websites –
includes:
San Francisco Department of the Environment
San Francisco has one of the most
progressive and successful IPM programs in the Country, so be sure to check out
their website.
UC Statewide IPM Program
University of California's official
guidelines for pest monitoring techniques, pesticides, and non-pesticide
alternatives for managing pests around the home.
Beyond Pesticides
National Coalition Against the
Misuse of Pesticides – Because Freedom from Pesticides Is Everybody’ Right
This is one of the most
comprehensive websites containing current news and events, information on how
to control pests and what to do if you have pesticide exposure concerns, and
much more.
PANNA – Pesticide Action Network
North America
Advancing Alternatives to Pesticides
Worldwide
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