Say
NO to Toxic Pesticides
A
Guide to Finding a Landscaper, Arborist and/or Exterminator
Ask Questions!
Before
hiring a professional or signing a contract, inquire about the
following:
For Arborists and exterminators: Are you licensed in New York
State, and can I see your license?
Do
you know what Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is?
IPM
is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information
with available pest control methods to prevent and treat unacceptable
levels of pest damage by the most economical means with the
least possible hazard to people, property and the environment.
Can
I see a copy of your IPM policy or plan?
What
to look for in a good IPM policy:
Comprehensive
Inspection
The comprehensive inspection is the initial inspection of all
premises to determine potential pest populations and causation.
Monitoring
Programs
Monitoring works to predict pest populations by using traps
and regular observations.
Sanitation
Objectives
Sanitation Objectives work to determine whether pest populations
will be alleviated with better sanitation practices, i.e.: cleaning
behind the refrigerator.
Habitat
Modification
Habitat modification works to change the physical environment
to reduce pest population, i.e.: fixing a leaking faucet.
Record
Keeping
Works to establish pest history and potential strategies by
recording all pest information, i.e.: type of pest, location,
date seen and quantity.
Least
toxic treatment strategies (see below)
Can I see a list of products you may be using during your service?
The
least toxic, yet effective products include:
-
Horticultural oils - kill all stages of insects by blocking
their breathing apparatus and smothering them.
- Insecticidal soaps - causes a susceptible insect to
dehydrate, then die. Examples are aphids, caterpillars, crickets,
fleas, flies and mites.
- Boric acid products - acts as a stomach poison when
ingested by the targeted pest. It is effective for cockroaches,
ants, carpenter ants, fleas and other insects.
- Mechanical traps - lure and trap the pest with nonpoisonous
bait. Pheromone traps - Pheromones are chemicals signals emitted
by insects to attract other insects. In insect control, pheromones
can be used to attract insects to traps.
- B.T. - Bacillus thuringiensis is a commercially available
bacterial species that causes disease in certain insects, such
as mosquito's and caterpillars.
- Biological Controls (natural predators) - involves
releasing beneficial insects, which are commercially available
to help control an insect population.
- Diatomaceous earth - absorbs the waxy layer on the
surface of certain insects, causing the insect to dry our. Use
only natural diatomaceous earth, not swimming - pool - grade,
which is chemically treated.
Who
can I contact for more information on IPM policies and least
toxic products?
NYCAP
New York Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
353 Hamilton Street
Albany, NY 12210
518-426-8246
http://www.crisny.org/not-for-
profit/cectoxic/c-main.htm
BIRC
Bio Integral Resource Center
P.O. Box 7414
Berkley California 94707
510-524-2567
http://www.keyed.net
/birc/IPM.htm
NCAMP
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
701 E Street, SE, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-543-5450
http://www.ncamp.org/
Northwest
Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
P.O. Box 1393
Eugene, OR 97440
541-344-5044
http://www.efn.org/~ncap/
Pesticide
Education Center
Box 420870
San Francisco, CA 94141-0870
415-391-8511
http://www.igc.org/pesticides/
Rachel
Carson Council
8940 Jones Mill Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301-652-1877
http://members.aol.com/
rccouncil/ourpage/
Additional
References on IPM
Common Sense Pest Control
Olkowski, Darr, and Olkowski, 1991
The Taunton Press,
63 South main street, Box 5506
Newton, CT 06740-5506
http://www.taunton.com/books/
Bug
Busters
Lifton 1991
Avery Publishing Group Inc.
Garden City, NY
http://www.averypublishing.com/
Chemical-Free
Yard & Garden
Carr, Smith, Gilkeson, Smillie, Wolf, 1991
Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
http://www.rodalestore.com/
bookstore/index.icl
Designer
Poisons
Moses, 1995 Pesticide Education Center
Box 420870
San Francisco, CA 94142-0870
http://barnesandnoble.com/
The
Chemical - Free Lawn
Schultz, 1989
Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
http://www.rodalestore.com/bookstore
/index.icl
Basic
Guide To Pesticides
Briggs, 1992 Rachel Carson Council Taylor and Francis
1900 Frost Road, Suite 101
Bristol, PA 19007-1598
http://barnesandnoble.com/
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