PESTS AND THE CITY
Living in New York City has its share of perks: nightlife, culture and excitement. But every city dweller also knows there are downsides of urban living — like roaches and mice.
What they may not know is that the pesticides used to control these pests puts their health at risk. While we may associate pesticides with farms or large suburban lawns, more pesticides are used in New York City than anywhere else in the state. Recent studies have shown that whole generations of children are at risk for learning disorders and other developmental problems because of commonly used pesticides.
To make things even worse, pesticides aren't terribly effective. Pilot programs conducted in public and private housing in New York City have proven that nontoxic approaches, which focus on preventing pest problems before they occur, are far more effective than using poisons. The studies showed that roach infestations stayed the same in apartments that were sprayed, while using nontoxic pest control approaches permanently got rid of the pests in six months in more than half of the other apartments!*
WHAT NYPIRG IS DOING
This May, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a law requiring City agencies to stop using pesticides that can cause cancer or developmental disorders and switch to safer alternatives. The City also enacted the Neighbor Notification Law, which requires commercial landscapers to alert neighbors before spraying lawns, trees and shrubs with toxic pesticides.These steps forward have been achieved thanks to NYPIRG's leadership on the issue, starting in 1998 with a groundbreaking report that identified, for the first time ever, the fact that pesticides are serious urban health threat, much like lead poisoning.
Now NYPIRG is working to require pesticide applicators to be trained in safer methods.
NONTOXIC PEST CONTROL
Here are some tips on how you can take care of pests in your home without resorting to poisons.
Keep it clean! The best way to control pests is to never have them in the first place. Don't leave food or dirty dishes around. Sweep and vacuum often — you can't always see the crumbs that will attract unwanted visitors. Resealable containers will keep food fresh and hidden from scavenging pests. Make sure you keep the lid tight on your garbage can.Screen them! Making sure that your window screens are in good shape is a simple way to keep bugs out of your home. It's worth the investment if your screens have holes that serve as open doors to all manner of pests. Screens can also be put over vents and ducts.
Get cracking! Caulking up cracks in the wall will help repel nasty pests. Pay special attention to water pipes and baseboards. Using steel wool to block up holes will keep mice and rats out - they don't want to chew through that. Pay special attention to the bathroom and closets.
Make a drought! Roaches love water. Fix leaky faucets and drains.
It's a trap! Glue traps are highly effective and safe alternatives. Old fashioned methods like flypaper strips hung near windows and problem areas will give you great results too.
When all else fails... use dessicant dusts like diatomaceous earth or boric acid to kill roaches. Apply the powder lightly to areas where roaches are seen, especially along baseboards, under sinks, and behind kitchen appliances. Putting powder into cracks and crevices and then sealing them up will make the powder effective for years. The powder takes a couple of days to start working, but it is highly effective. Boric acid is considered a "least toxic" chemical alternative, but as with any pesticide, should be kept out of the way of kids and pets.
To find out more, contact Laura Haight at lhaight@nypirg.org.
*Kass, D. & T. Outwater (2002). Demonstration of an Integrated Pest Management Program in New York City Public Housing (Report to the NYC Housing Authority). New York: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Barbara L. Brenner, et al. (October 2003). Integrated Pest Management in an Urban Community: A Successful Partnership for Prevention. Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 111, Number 13.