Peach State has First Certified “Green” Pest Control Service Provider

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Peachtree Pest Control, a family-run business founded in 1976, has earned Green Shield Certification, the first provider in Southeastern US to achieve this third-party credential. Customers in Georgia, northern Florida and southern South Carolina now have the option of choosing the new “Peachtree Green” service, ensuring less toxic pest control. The credential is offered by the independent, non-profit IPM Institute of North America, which verifies company performance using a rigorous, on-site evaluation that examines 63 separate aspects of the pest control service.

Peachtree is committed to the principles of Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. “We’re not in the chemical application business,” says Corey Arnold, Peachtree’s president and CEO. “That’s not how you solve problems.” Peachtree’s “green” approach is effective - Peachtree uses inspection, monitoring and proper identification to determine the root cause of pest problems and find a solution.

Everyone can benefit from a green approach. Residential customers and commercial facilities including “green buildings” will appreciate an emphasis on long-term solutions that reduce both pest complaints and pesticide use. For example, by carefully inspecting and sealing up gaps and holes in on the exterior of structures, pest complaints can be reduced by as much as 65%.
A strong focus on training also sets Peachtree apart. Every Peachtree branch holds a staff training session weekly, coupled with monthly company-wide trainings covering pest biology and the latest strategies for effective control with a minimum of pesticide use.

“Peachtree Pest Control has an industry-leading emphasis on training,” according to Dr. Thomas Green, president of the IPM Institute. “Training is key to making sure everyone is on board with the latest information and strategies to manage pests effectively.”

Peachtree provides non-chemical options including rodent-proofing and other sanitation and exclusion measures to prevent problems before they start. Chemicals are used as a last resort and only the least amount of least-toxic pesticides are used. Peachtree has been recognized by the US EPA as a leader in reducing overall pesticide use in the environment; in December 2003 the company was accepted into the agency’s Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP.)

Green Shield Certified (www.greenshieldcertified.org) is operated by the IPM Institute of North America, Inc., an independent, non-profit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. Modeled after the Institute’s award-winning IPM STAR program for schools, Green Shield Certified is available to pest control companies and services, as well as facilities other than schools.

Learn more from the University of Georgia’s Cooperative extension service on pesticide reduction programs.