Common Sense Home Pest Control

In summer, our thoughts often turn to pest control, for more bugs tend to come with warmer weather. First, thoroughly air and clean your home, getting rid of clutter, where critters like to hide. Now you've embarked upon Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, which seeks to control pests by the least-toxic means possible.

IPM uses physical barriers (window screens, caulking cracks), traps, bait, sticky tape and biological controls (like ladybugs, which eat aphids and other garden pests), progressing to least-toxic chemicals only when necessary. Boric acid, for example, kills roaches when sprinkled in cracks, garbage cans and under the refrigerator, sink or stove; but be careful not to use it near food or where children or pets can ingest it, and if skin contact occurs, rinse with water to avoid irritation.

Summer is also a perfect time to clear out old stuff from under your sink or in the garage. The Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC) recommends getting rid of conventional pesticides, especially those containing chlorpyrifos, aka Dursban or Lorsban (banned in 2001 for all residential use) and diazinon (to be banned completely by December 2003). These chemicals are widely found in roach, flea and ant killers. For proper disposal, call your sanitation department.

Resources

*Discover your community's hazardous waste disposal options by inputting your zip code at 1-800-CLEANUP, www.cleanup.org.

*For more tips on IPM and nontoxic pest control, contact the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (541-344-5044, www.pesticide.org) and WTC (206-632-1545, www.watoxics.org).