ATCO Pest Control Articles

ATCO Pest Control Honored for Reducing Pesticide Use

DPR RECOGNIZES ORGANIZATION FOR REDUCING PESTICIDE USE

SACRAMENTO – A diverse group of businesses and organizations and the
city of San José are being honored Thursday, March 18 as 2009 IPM
Innovators by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
for controlling insects, weeds, rodents and other pests with a
combination of natural and preventive strategies and pesticides less
toxic than traditional treatments.

"From vacuuming cockroaches infesting a café to building bird and bat
houses to attract natural predators that eat insects and rodents in
vineyards and parks, this year’s honorees exemplify pest control
strategies we call integrated pest management, or IPM," DPR Director
Mary-Ann Warmerdam said today. "IPM is more protective of public
health and safer for the environment whether you have a pest problem in
a home or office building, agricultural fields, garden or park."

Warmerdam will present the IPM Innovator Awards at 1:30 p.m. in the
Sierra Hearing Room on the second floor of the California Environmental
Protection Agency in Sacramento. The public is invited.

Since IPM Innovator awards were initiated in 1994, more than 100
California organizations have been recognized for their efforts to
reduce risks associated with pesticide use and for sharing their
research and methods with others. Candidates are evaluated in seven
categories: innovation; value; effectiveness; supports research;
organizational education; outreach; and leadership.
A brief description of the 2009 IPM Innovators follows:

ATCO Pest Control

This business established in 1985 services Marin and Sonoma counties. Marin County government buildings are one of owner Richard Estrada’s clients and the Civic Center designed by
renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the buildings he
services. ATCO works closely with the center’s staff to balance
historic preservation with inventive IPM strategies to address unique
pest challenges at the spectacular complex.

For example, the Civic Center and café had a history of cockroach
infestations. Previous pest control companies had routinely used harsh
insecticides. ATCO cleared the facility of cockroaches using baits,
vacuums and monitors. The company continues to closely monitor for pests
and uses least-toxic baits as needed. ATCO has also implemented a
process in which rodents are controlled in the landscape without the use
of rodent poisons. As a result, raptors and other predators are not
adversely affected by secondary poisoning.

ATCO utilizes mechanical methods and equipment such as vacuuming,
steam, trapping along with bait and organic materials without traditional
pesticides.