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Reduced Impact Residential Program

In the year 2000, as manufacturers began refining pest control treatment products, Western Exterminator Company began testing plant oils (EcoSmart products) for residential insect control. Our hope was to further reduce our impact on the environment from pesticide usage and still provide the protection our customers expect. After consulting with researchers at the University of California, we began our field tests with just a small geographic area. We added more locations to our testing over several years, until we had several thousand residential sites being treated primarily with plant oils instead of traditional insecticides. Our entomologists found in the fall, winter and spring months, the plant oils performed as well as conventional products. However, during the warmest months, we saw a vivid uptick in customer complaints. Our technicians also noted a corresponding increase in insect activity during the same period. It became apparent that when the pest pressure dramatically increased, the sites with the plant oil applications caused customers to be bothered by many more pests that previously would have been eliminated by the more conventional treatments.

Customer Focused 365 Days A Year.

To provide the insect protection our customers demanded, we continued to change the test sites' application methods and treatments to best use the eco-friendly products, but in combination with some traditional materials; thus developing a more environmentally-responsible program while still ridding our customers' homes of the nuisance pests. Through this thorough and meticulous process, we developed a combination program which met everyone's expectations. In 2010, we switched all of our residential accounts to what we now call our Reduced Impact Residential Program: for most of the year, depending on pest pressure, our treatments are principally made with the most effective plant oils and other BioRational Pesticides.^* To meet customer expectations in retaining a pest-free environment in the warmer months, we may (and only if necessary) supplement the plant oil and BioRational Pesticide treatments with more traditional products.

Integrated Pest Management

In addition, our Reduced Impact Residential Program relies heavily on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, with a focus on inspection and removal of insect-friendly environments, eliminating food and harborage areas. When applications are made, we concentrate on specific target areas only, applying only the product that is needed to eliminate the pests, and no more. Our Training and Technical Division is constantly working to improve this program as we take advantage of the newest in university research, and our own field studies, training our service technicians on the most current proven methods and products.

Fewer Pesticides. Proven Results.

Through our Reduced Impact Program, we have reduced our usage of traditional pesticides on our residential accounts by 65.4% since 2000. As scientific advancements are made, you can be sure we will continue to improve this program.