What is Green Pest Control?  How is it Green?  What Makes It Green?

by Vince Singh of Xterm Pest Control

The image of pest control is that of characters like Dale Gribble from King of the Hill.  A guy in a hazard suit, with canisters of deadly poison on his back and a spray handle ready to unleash the poisons in your home.  With that kind of image, many are right to express doubt when their pest control company tells them that they are green.

Eco friendly pest control or green pest management is a vaguely defined term and is sadly treated as a self-imposed marketing gimmick by many companies unwilling to make the effort to actually go green. Indeed, many pest control companies use conventional poisons and slap a green sticker on the label and call it green. Also known as Green Washing, a business pretending to be earth-friendly and really are not typically get caught and exposed for it.

But what is Eco-Friendly Pest Control?
In order for a pest control service to be green, clearly toxic components must be eliminated.  Those chemicals must be replaced with their botanical, biological, and mineral counterparts. By using those non-toxic, non-chemical products, we keep ourselves, family and pets are kept safe while dealing with pests. There is also more emphasis on preventing pests, such as keeping the home clean, maintained, and yard trimmed and healthy. 

What makes it Green?
An eco-friendly pest control service must use natural products and fall into one of three categories.  When selecting a pest control company, you want to check the products they use for these ingredients.

Botanical (Plant Oils)
• Rosemary Oil
• Thyme Oil
• Eugenol (Clove Oil)
• 2-Phenethyl Propionate (A refined peanut oil with the allergic properties removed)
• Peppermint Oil
• Wintergreen Oil
• D-Limonene (Orange Oil)
• Mint Oil
• Cedar Oil
• Neem Oil
• Garlic Oil 

Microbial / Biochemical
• Pheromones (Used in traps)
• Abamectin (A natural fermentation product of soil bacteria)
• BT: Bacillus theringiensis (microbial)

Minerals
• Borates
• Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
• Limestone

Many of these ingredients target specific parts of an insect’s biology that doesn’t exist outside of insect families and disrupts them.  The end result is that the insects die, you stay safe, your family is safe, and so are your pets.

Many of the ingredients listed above are on the National Organics Program (NOP) certification for pest control set forth by the government (www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ ).  If your pest control service provider does not use products with those ingredients or refuses to show you that is your clue to avoid that company.

Choosing the Right Company
The next thing you want to do in looking for an eco friendly pest control company is to investigate them by contacting your local state regulators and verifying their license.  Every State requires pest control companies to obey special laws. Also, read reviews about the company, and asking for MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheets) and Product Labels from the company in question.  Note that product labels are the instructions that a pest control company must follow to apply any product.  Be wary of companies that claim to have membership in green pest management organizations as many of these organizations charge a nominal fee and don’t verify if they pest control company is eco-friendly.  Instead, look for companies that carry certifications from organizations such as American Institute of Baking and various Universities.
Pay special attention to the price.  Thanks to manufacturers like EcoSmart Technologies, Bayer, and others, the cost of earth-friendly pest control materials has been reduced to the point where it costs the same as, if not less than, conventional pesticides and your end price for service shouldn’t be more than a using a ‘traditional’ pest control service.
 
A little investigation and a few questions go a long way to keeping your family and home safe and free from conventional pesticides.  There are several companies out there providing actual pest control service without using any chemicals at reasonable prices.
 

Vince Singh is the owner and founder of Xterm Pest Management, based
 in Orlando, Florida and pioneered Xterm's flagship eco-friendly
pest control service.

He can be reached by email (vince@xtermpest.com), via his website,
www.xtermpest.com or call him at 407-292-4800.