Green Pest Management

Since rising temperatures lead to more pest infestations, why not take a more proactive approach to pest management? Many property managers are finding that a combination of eco-friendly products and preventative measures helps keep infestations from occurring in the first place.

“The focus on prevention is a healthier viewpoint,” says Greg Baumann, vice president of technical services and senior scientist for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). “If you can eliminate infestations or potential infestation, which is integrated pest management, you utilize a modern technique adopted by the pest management industry.”

Least toxic pesticides
As tenants demand greener solutions, more vendors are leaning toward less toxic products, as well. “In the past, it was common for pest guys to use whatever materials they thought would do the job without getting any questions from property managers,” says Dick Wyzanski, Senior Property Manager at Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Midgard Management, Inc.

In contrast, vendors at the commercial sites Wyzanski manages stave off ants and cockroaches and a variety of other pests using chemicals made from plant extracts. “Most eco-friendly pest control products are based with plant extracts and/or boric acid compounds to control a wide variety of insects and pests,” says Baumann. “However, there is no real definition of eco-friendly,” he says.

When sorting through the spectrum of pest control products, consider those that contain lower toxicity ingredients. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should avoid EPA toxicity categories I or II and applications that include broadcast spray, dust or fogging. The EPA does recommends using boric acid, silica gels, nonvolatile insect and rodent baits, and botanical insecticides.


As standards evolve, keep inventories low so you can keep up with the latest innovations and make sure you’re not using outdated supplies.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Vendors at Wyzanski’s properties also post educational posters in tenant break rooms and discuss proper refuse disposal with tenants, which lowers the occurrence of pests. “Without the integrated pest management educational component, the green chemicals out there aren’t any more or less effective,” he says.

Commonly referred to as IPM, an integrated approach may cost more up front than traditional pest management because of initial time spent on cleaning and prevention. But a 2004 study of cockroach populations in public housing found the approach was overwhelmingly effective.

Published through the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech, the study compared IPM with monthly insecticide sprays. IPM involved initial vacuuming of apartments followed by monthly or quarterly applications of baits and insect growth regulator (IGR) devices that inhibit the growth of pests.

The results stuck. The suppressed populations—declining 24.7 to 3.9 cockroaches per unit by the fourth month—remained constant, while the cockroach population quadrupled over the next six months in non-IPM areas.

IPM approach
Baumann recommends a three-pronged approach:

1. Inspection: Pests need food, water and a place to live. “Shut down any one of those and you’re going to greatly reduce the chance of a pest infestation,” he says.

2. Identification: Regularly look for potential sources of pests. “If you can put a pencil through it, a small mouse can probably get through it,” he says.

3. Treatment: Focus treatment on problem areas; that includes calking, sealing and any other actions that need to be taken.

Prevention may include repairing window screens, installing door sweeps and weather stripping, and eliminating standing water from outdoor areas. In apartment buildings, common areas such as laundry and trash rooms are particularly susceptible. “The same is true for a mini-market with doors opening constantly and people moving in and out,” Baumann says.

Prudent landscaping also makes a difference. Wyzanski suggests placing a buffer such as a decorative rock barrier between the sod and outer walls of a building to limit the number of pests that have direct access to the building.

Environmentally friendly treatments

Bait—The Virginia Tech report notes that cockroach numbers have declined as baiting has become the preferred control method. Traps that mix food materials with low toxicity chemicals are also less harmful to the environment than liquids because they require a smaller, more directed dosage.

Hormone traps—Traps that attract moths, cockroaches and other insects through scents are increasingly replacing liquid products and pesticides. “It’s not toxic, and you’re really going for the source,” says Baumann.

Insect light traps (ILT)—Schools, hospitals and restaurants are turning to traps that single out problem insects through specific light frequencies.

Other—Wyzanski recommends products that are certified as green and can be found on the U.S. Green Building Council's Web site.

Finally, being eco-friendly has as much to do with proper use as the type of product you choose. “Some people will see a roach and panic. It’s important to identify the pest before going for any treatment. If consumers treat an area without knowing the pest, it’s not going to be effective.”