Private pest control supporting Local Authorities

Pests can be a problem across the public estate, from rats at recycling centres to cockroaches in kitchens. If you’re managing housing stock, it can be one of the most common complaints from residents. In this article, Natalie Bungay, technical manager at British Pest Control Association (BPCA), outlines how professional pest management offers LAs a one-stop solution

Pests in public buildings
Local Authorities can find themselves coming up against a diverse range of pest issues across the many different premises they own and operate.
    
The most common pest control enquiries will come from residents of housing owned or operated by councils/ALMOs. A pest is only a pest when it comes into conflict with people, and they love to be where we are, eating our food and living in our spaces.
    
Household Waste and Recycling Centres are obvious targets for a range of pests, such as rats, mice, flies and even gulls, offering plentiful harbourage and food sources.
    
Wooden park pavilions and sheds are ideal sites for wasp nests, although they have been known to build nests in some more unusual places too, like little-used toilet cisterns.
    
Many LA premises include on-site catering, whether it’s just tea and biscuits in the offices or a full-scale canteen, a school kitchen or vending machines at a leisure centre; food, scraps and litter are all potential food sources for pests - a major factor in pest infestations.
    
Large centrally heated buildings such as hospitals, offices and libraries are ideal locations for tropical ants or cockroaches, while museums and libraries may find artefacts become damaged by the presence of moths and beetles, that live and feed on textiles and other materials.
    
Alongside managing sites with a broad range of functions, LAs often have a portfolio of properties that can span hundreds of years, from historic town halls, civic buildings and libraries to brand new offices and schools.
Older buildings can present their own, unique challenges; proofing against pest ingress could be a more complicated job, whether it’s tackling gaps in ancient drainage or ensuring the correct installation of bird deterrents on listed buildings.

Recognising the risks
There are many instances where LAs have a statutory duty to deal with pest problems, as a pest infestation can bring with it a series of risks to public health. Certain pest species are vectors of disease, while some may cause damage to buildings and equipment.
    
Pest management is a matter of protecting public health, safety and wellbeing, so it’s important that it’s given the level of priority that it needs. Pest management is a proactive approach to animals that come into conflict with people. We shouldn’t only be thinking about active infestations; ideally we need to prevent issues before they occur.
    
Rats and mice are both known to carry diseases that can be passed to humans. They can squeeze through tiny gaps to enter buildings – usually as the weather turns colder and they seek a warm place to shelter, with access to water and food sources.
    
Both species have rapid breeding cycles, which means a breeding pair can rapidly expand to a major infestation in a matter of weeks. And both rats and mice need to gnaw to maintain their teeth.
    
Electrical fires and flooding have been attributed to rodents gnawing through materials such as wiring/cables, pipes, even the back of a refrigerator.
    
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 (PDPA) is a piece of legislation that requires all LAs to keep their districts free from rats and mice so far as is reasonably practicable, even on property not owned by the LA, so it’s important that these issues are dealt with effectively.
    
But it’s not just rats and mice that can cause issues for LAs.
    
Feral pigeons and gulls are a common problem in towns and cities across the UK. As known vectors of disease, their nests can cause secondary infestations of mites, while their droppings are corrosive to brick, stone and metal and when dried can form tiny airborne particles that are known to cause respiratory conditions in humans.
    
Every wild bird, its eggs and nest are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Always consult a professional before considering any type of bird proofing or control.
    
Wasps, while best left alone in low-traffic areas, can pose a real risk to human health if a nest is discovered in a busy space. By late summer, the average wasp nest can contain between 3,000 and 8,000 wasps.
    
If one wasp feels the nest is threatened by human presence, it may emit a pheromone that acts as an emergency call to other wasps in the nest, which can trigger a defensive stinging frenzy.
    
Wasp stings can lead to anaphylaxis – an allergic reaction that can be life-threatening if action isn’t taken quickly. If anaphylaxis is suspected, always call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
    
Kitchens and canteens are great habitats for cockroaches, which emerge from drains and sewers, or are brought in via infested materials, and are known to carry bacteria harmful to human health, like salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus.

Bins, landfill, waste and recycling centres all have the potential to attract pests like flies, which will breed and then cause a nuisance to the surrounding area. Most fly species feed by vomiting saliva onto food surfaces and sucking up the resulting liquid, contaminating food products with bacteria from their gut and feet.
    
BPCA recommends regular collections of household waste and recycling to prevent pest infestations in dwellings.
    
Bins outside public buildings should be kept closed, with lids securely in place. Waste disposal containers, recycling banks and public bins should be emptied regularly.

Sourcing the solution
If the presence of pests is identified, BPCA recommends seeking professional help and advice to tackle the problem.
    
Pest professionals have a spectrum of techniques, tools, products and methods that can help prevent or tackle infestations.
    
It’s known as an ‘integrated pest management’ approach, which considers the differences in each situation and the best approach for the customer, the environment and for the effective control of the pest.
    
Some LAs still have in-house pest control teams that will be ideally placed to deal with any infestation issues that arise.
    
BPCA recommends a ‘prevention rather than cure’ approach, advocating regular visits and pest-proofing, rather than waiting until an infestation has become established.
    
For LAs that have out-sourced pest control to external companies, BPCA recommends establishing a pest control maintenance cycle with a professional pest management company such as a BPCA member.
    
LAs can take steps to protect against multiple risks with one contract by establishing a schedule of regular visits to sites, which will be followed by a comprehensive report, including points of action to be taken between visits.
    
In the event that a pest infestation is discovered, a BPCA member company (visit: bpca.org.uk/find) will have the technical knowledge and experience to apply products in an efficient manner while minimising risk to the environment and non-target species.
    
BPCA members carry the correct insurances; are trained and qualified technicians; are assessed to the British Standard in pest management EN 16636; and follow industry Codes of Best Practice.
    
BPCA offers membership options for LAs with pest control responsibilities, whether that includes overseeing in-house teams or not.
    
Becoming a BPCA member brings with it a series of benefits, including access to training opportunities and essential industry information as well as educational and technical documentation. To find out more about BPCA membership options, contact BPCA’s membership team on 01332 225112.

Collaboration with councils
As part of its long-term aims, BPCA is currently conducting a survey of councils with responsibility for pest control to ascertain how services are provided or signposted in each area.
    
The Association aims to work alongside LAs to ensure residents and businesses seeking help with pest issues can find a trusted pest professional and improve the provision of pest control services.
    
The survey can be found at: bpca.org.uk/LAs

About the British Pest Control Association
The British Pest Control Association is the UK trade association representing organisations with a professional interest in the eradication of public health pests.
 
It is a not-for-profit organisation which acts in the interests of members and on behalf of the pest management industry in the UK.
 
The Association places great importance on promoting the highest standards of professionalism within the industry and all organisations must prove their competence before membership is accepted.
   
It highlights risks of inadequate control, offers guidance in searching for a pest control contractor, provides general pest advice and guidance documentation.