Health Department’s Rat Indexing Initiative earns Green Shield certification
NEW YORK — The New York City Health Department has long been hard at work keeping the city streets free of unwanted rodent visitors. Now, it has taken its efforts to the next level through participation in the non-profit IPM Institute of North America’s Green Shield Certified program.
Three years ago, the department launched an innovative Rat Indexing Initiative to proactively control urban rodent populations block-by-block while protecting city residents and the environment from potentially harmful pesticides. Now, the program has become the first in the nation to achieve Green Shield Certification. In earning this credential, the Health Department’s Rat Indexing Initiative demonstrates that it meets the requirements of an independent audit and guarantees effective, less toxic pest control.
First piloted in the Bronx in 2007, the Rat Indexing Initiative uses advanced integrated pest management (IPM) principles paired with hand-held computers and sophisticated mapping technology to tackle the city’s rat population.
Trained inspectors conduct block-by-block inspections to provide property owners recommendations for addressing any pest-conducive conditions such as debris, food or water, and comb the area for any signs of rats. Property owners then receive a notice from the agency to correct conditions observed by the inspectors and have up to two weeks to address the issue. If the owner fails to act or if measures taken are inadequate, the Health Department issues a “Notice of Violation” to the property owner that is adjudicated by the City’s Administrative Tribunal and the Health Department addresses the issue at the cost of the property owner.
Simultaneously, the agency set up a three-day, quarterly Rodent Control Academy to teach pest management professionals and property owners how to effectively and safely control rats. To teach the course, the Health Department enlisted a world-renowned rodent expert Bobby Corrigan.
Green Shield Certified is an independent, nonprofit certification program that promotes practitioners of effective, prevention-based pest control while minimizing the need to use pesticides.
Visit greenshieldcertified.org for additional information.
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