Trash problems in commercial buildings By Katz

As a real estate professional your interest in commercial buildings probably involves buying, selling or managing a property. There is one area of a building that can give you an immediate indicator of how well maintained a building is, the dumpster or trash room. If these areas are not well maintained you may have much bigger problems than the odor and unsanitary conditions you will see and smell at first glance. A trash area that is not well maintained could bring ants, birds, cockroaches, yellow jackets, raccoons and mice, but the two biggest problems are flies and rats. If there is a problem in your trash area the most important things is to make sure you do not ignore it. For a problem with any of these pests you should contact a pest management professional. Of course we all would prefer not to have a problem in the first place. Here are some tips to help with area maintenance. Managing Outdoor Dumpsters • Make sure dumpsters are more than 50 feet away from the building and not near doors. • Make sure the lid is closed and garbage is not left around the dumpster. Dumpsters should be on a concrete slab or wheels so it is harder to burrow through the bottom. • Make sure the drain plug is closed except when cleaning the inside of the dumpster (this should be done regularly). • Do not have shrubs growing close to the dumpsters and any grass is trimmed (shrubs make great hiding places for rats and trimmed grass will reveal borrow holes. • Occasionally maintenance staff should be present when the dumpster is emptied so the slab underneath can be cleaned. • Make sure waste is placed in heavy duty bags and sealed. Areas around the dumpster should be policed daily to make sure any garbage that didn’t make it inside is put in the dumpster. • Make sure your service agreement stipulates that any rusted, leaking or damaged dumpsters be replaced. Managing Compactors or Trash Rooms Rats and mice can live in block walls and come out in your trash room when the coast is clear. In many trash rooms, especially older ones, the walls have holes in them for pipes, wiring or other building infrastructure. This allows pests free access to the area. • Chutes should be treated with insecticide dust to keep them insect free. • Make sure trash rooms are cleaned and degreased regularly. Steam-clean or enzyme the chutes and receptacle area. • Keep anything else in the room (like storage boxes) away from the trash area. A two foot area around should be painted in high gloss white paint. This helps reveal tracks and droppings. It also leaves a clear field for traps. • Seal all holes in the walls, floor and ceilings. Caulk around access points of pipes, wires, etc. Doors should remain closed and sealed tightly. Add door sweeps on the bottoms of doors. • Add wheels to receptacles, if possible, for easy cleaning and inspection. • In buildings with chutes, inspect the upper floors daily to make sure all the garbage makes it into the chute. • Don’t allow dumpsters or compactors to overflow. By following these guidelines it will reduce the chance of having a pest problem. Inspections and treatment plans are available through pest management professionals. Arthur Katz is CEO of Knockout Pest Control, Uniondale, N.Y.