‘Green’ issues impact on pest control practices

ENVIRONMENTAL imperatives are forcing a
change in business procedures, not least in the
pest control environment.
“Practitioners need to re-evaluate
practices and products used,” says André
Swanepoel of Pest Control Specialists. “The
answer may well
lie in widening the
scope of the pest
control programme and
addressing the problem at
the point of origin.”
The new industry
mantra is Integrated
Pest Management (IPM)
which is essentially a decisionmaking
process that anticipates
and prevents pest activity and
infestation by combining several
strategies that will support a longterm
solution.
According to Swanepoel,
components of an IPM
programme may include
training, proper waste management,
structural repair, maintenance, biological and
mechanical control techniques and pesticide
application.
“A combination of two or more procedures
may be the answer to eradicating a pest
problem, in some cases making the use
of harsh and environmentally unfriendly
products obsolete.”
An effective IPM system requires time and
effort on the part of the service provider who
needs to inspect and monitor pest activity
and implement proactive procedures and
suggest ways of eliminating points of entry
and resting areas, says Swanepoel.
“The ultimate objective is to reduce
existing problems or to deter potential pest
infestations.”
And while an IPM system does not
necessarily eliminate the use of a pesticide, it
would tend to include it as part of a broader
strategy that relies on a combination of
activities.
“An effective IPM programme will however
reduce the amount of pesticide needed or in
some cases entirely eliminate its use.”