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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAP 2015-05-26 Item 2A - 2015 International Property Maintenance Code / National Healthy Housing Standards - 5. Integrated Pest Management General Information SheetsMEN Op a�eP * IIIlIII 0 do z SAFE PEST CONTROL 2 ,eqN * 11111111 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development • Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control r "For years, cockroaches have defeated our best efforts to get rid of them. We sprayed and sprayed, but they always came back. Now we under- stand there are better methods and products that really work" Environmental Health Watch •ii•••,'"-7."4011Q Did you know...? Many pesticides for home use are toxic? There are alternative pest management methods that limit the use of toxic substances? Mice, cockroaches, and cockroach "dust" can trigger asthma attack? What is it? Integrated pest management (IPM) is a way to remove pests, like cock- roaches, mice, and rats from a home. IPM is a common sense approach that: Denies pests food, water, shelter and a way to enter the home. Uses baits and powders, such as gel baits, traps and borate powder. Why use IPM? IPM is safer. IPM does not use as many harmful pesticides as traditional pest control. - Avoiding pesticides is especially important in homes. Pesticides can contain long lasting, toxic chemicals or lung irritants that cause asthma attacks. Children are among those most vulnerable to exposure. IPM strategies apply pesticides only as needed and use the least hazardous figaM1 pesticides to control pests. continued on back www.hud.gov /offices /lead U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control SAFE PEST CONTROL Non -toxic traps can be part of an IPM strategy. Photo by: January E. Jones, Improving Kids' Environment IPM works better. IPM is better at keeping the roaches and other pests away for long periods of time compared to spraying of pesticides or other poisons. IPM works by addressing the cause of the problem and taking a long -term approach to reducing pests. Using pesticides can cause pests to build up a resistance to the poison so that the chemicals do not work cis well over time, and do not stop the pests from coming back to your home. What you can do Look. Pay attention to where there are pests in your home, how they enter, and how many there are. By watching and tracking pests in your home, you can better decide what actions to take. Keep a clean home. Keeping a clean house is the best way to keep pests out. Some important things to pay attention to are: Clean -up food and drink spills right away. Remove clutter (such as cardboard boxes or paper) so pests have fewer places to hide. Put food in tightly sealed containers, such as plastic with tight lids. Do not leave open containers of food on counters or in cabinets. Put pet food dishes away overnight. Keep trash in a closed container and take it out frequently —every day if possible. Don't let trash pile up outside. Fix plumbing or other water leaks. Pests need water sources to survive. Seal cracks and holes. Use a caulk gun to seal cracks around baseboards, shelves, pipes, sinks, and bathroom fixtures. Use roach baits properly and only if necessary. Place baits out of the reach of children and pets. Put the bait close to the pests' hiding places. It must be closer than other sources of food. Good spots for baits are next to walls, baseboards, under sinks, in cabinets and near plumbing fixtures. Place baits in areas of roach activity. Do not spray any pesticides. This will keep the pests away from the baits. If needed, call a pest control professional who uses IPM practices. If you have taken all the steps described above and still have a pest problem, you may need a professional to help. If you live in an apartment or rent a home, speak to your landlord or property manager about using an IPM professional. Talk to other tenants about the importance of IPM for long -term solutions to your building's pest problems. IPM professionals utilize various methods to identify, monitor, and solve the pest problem without using lots of pesticides. For more information... Visit HUD's website at www.hud.gov /offices/lead for more information about addressing health hazards in homes or to learn if HUD has a Healthy Homes program in your community. From this website, you can download a copy of "Help Yourself to A Healthy Home" for more practical steps you can take to make your home a healthy home. Other Federal Resources US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov /od /oc/childhealth US Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov /children Other Resources Environmental Health Watch has several resources on IPM and cockroach control www.ehw.org Children's Environmental Health Coalition's HeatlheHouse also has several resources on using IPM in the home www.checnet.org/healthehouse/ Place baits near baseboards, out of reach from children. Photo by: January E. Jones, Improving Kids' Environment www.hud.gov /offices /lead A guide e for landlords Why Integrated Pest Management (IPM makes good business sense Keep your tenants paying rent by keeping pests out — effectively and safely. Pest infestations drive out tenants. Repeated pesticide applications simply move pests around and become a recurring cost. The underlying problems contributing to pest infestations — water leaks and cracks or holes — cause your investment to deteriorate. Use IPM to keep pests out permanently by eliminating pest environments: water, food and hiding places. greensboro housing coalition 122 N. Elm St, Ste. M -2 Greensboro, NC 27401 greensborohousingcoalition.org National Center for Healthy Housing www.nchh.org IPM builds teamwork between your tenants, your property managers and maintenance staff, and your pest management professional. Each has an essential role to play: 1. With IPM, TENANTS eliminate food for pests by storing food in sealed containers, disposing of garbage properly, and washing dishes after each use. They also notify property managers of water leaks and cracks or holes in walls or around windows or floors. 2. With IPM, PROPERTY MANAGERS AND MAINTENANCE STAFF eliminate water for pests by repairing water leaks promptly. They keep pests from entering or moving from one apartment to another by sealing cracks and holes. (These steps may also reduce heating and water bills for you and /or your tenants. Because cockroaches and moldy conditions from moisture can trigger respiratory attacks and work absences, keeping apartments dry can also keep tenants healthier and increase their ability to pay rent). 3. With IPM, PEST CONTROL PROFESSIONALS eliminate pests by targeting safe and effective treatment to the places pests are found, rather than repeated spraying throughout the apartments. Their visits should involve inspections, not extermination. Steps to IPM A. Inform your property manager and maintenance staff about the effectiveness of IPM and the important role they play in responding rapidly to tenant complaints about water leaks, cracks or holes and pests. B. Inform your tenants about IPM and their role in pest -free and pesticide -safe housing. C. Require that your pest management professional use IPM and get trained if they don't know how. Benefits of using IPM: ✓ After initial treatment of pest infestations and repair of underlying causes, pest management costs are lower than repeated spraying because pests are eliminated instead of moved around. ✓ Tenants are more cooperative and responsible when they recognize the impact of their housekeeping and when they see your prompt response to maintenance requests. Where there are reductions in water and energy bills and improvement in health, tenants may be better able to afford rent, reducing your turnover. ✓ Better maintenance protects your investment. A guide for landlords to give to tenants reporting pests When (IPM) pests are spotted, use Integrated Pest Management to keep you and your family safe and healthy We take your report of seeing pests very seriously and will have our pest management professional contact you immediately. In order for the pest company to properly treat your apartment, they will do an inspection to determine the type of pest that is present. After identifying the pest, they will treat the infested area with baits or gels. Depending on the level of infestation, a spray may be used to flush the pests from their interior nest. greensboro housing coalition 122 N. Elm St., Ste. M -2 Greensboro, NC 27401 greensborohousingcoalition.org National Center for Healthy Housing www.nchh.org In the event that you do find evidence of pests, we need your help in this process by doing the following: 1. Make sure all foods are stored in airtight containers. 2. Make sure dishes are cleaned and put away after each meal and counters are wiped down to eliminate pest food sources. .4SKT SPRAY COME PPT PYRautuAl 4. DO NOT TRY AND TREAT PESTS YOURSELF WITH SPRAYS OR OTHER MEASURES. Sprays will counteract the treatment done by the pest company and are not as effective. Do not bomb or use other aerosols. 5. If you see dead pests on the stove, floors or counters, sweep them up, put them in the trash, and empty the trash immediately. A guide for new tenants Welcome to our healthy pest -free apartment homes! We use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to keep out both pests and toxic pesticide sprays. Pests can trigger asthma attacks and pesticides can poison. Our commitment to you is to protect your family's health using teamwork to eliminate pest environments: water, food and hiding places. diC3C greensboro housing coalition 122 N. Elm St., Ste. M -2 Greensboro, NC 27401 greensborohousingcoalition.org National Center for Healthy Housing www.nchh.org In order to keep your apartment pest -free, we ask that you: report water leaks keep food sealed report cracks look for signs of pests 1. Inform us of water leaks so that we can promptly repair these. Depending on the type of leak, this repair may also reduce your water bill or prevent mold. 2. Store food in sealed containers, dispose of garbage properly, and wash dishes after each use. If you use cardboard boxes to move in, please unpack them right away and remove the boxes from the apartment. Pests hide in the corrugated sides and may come inside without you even realizing it. 3. Notify us of cracks and holes in walls or around windows and floors so we can seal these to keep pests out. (This repair may also reduce your heating and /or cooling bills). Clean up clutter to eliminate pest hiding places. 4. Let us know immediately if you see evidence of pests, but DON'T use pesticide sprays or powders that can endanger your family and interfere with IPM. Our pest management professionals target safe pest treatments to eliminate pests. IPM makes $en$e for you and your family's health!