How serious are bed bugs? The U.S Dept. of Defense is assisting with extermination strategy.
It’s been three years in the making. In September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft of a Federal Strategy on Bed Bugs. The strategy is intended to provide guidance for how various levels of government can join forces with pest control efforts to effectively fight the war on bed bugs.
That’s good news for the apartment industry, which has been lobbying Congress for help. The NMHC says Congress should implement a “Manhattan Project” on bed bugs.
Such a brute force is needed, NMHC says, “to expedite the development of a safe and effective ‘next generation’ pesticide to control bed bug infestations,” and that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) should help educate residents on the collateral damage potential of bed bugs.
Bed bug infestations continue to be a headache not only for the apartment industry, but for society in general. Treatment and awareness sometimes get bogged down because resources are limited and bed bugs don’t get as much attention as other pests, such as ants and cockroaches.
Further, residents and owners often argue about who is responsible to eradicate infestations—bed bugs are expensive to treat because pesticide resistance is high. Its also embarrassing to some residents to admit there is a bed bug problem to begin with, and staying mum enables the pests to gain in forces.
Avoid Pesticide Misuse
Hoping the problem will go away is not a good strategy to deploy to win the war. Even though bed bugs aren’t believed to transmit disease, they are a public health concern. They suck blood and many people have allergic reactions that sometimes can be severe. Bites can lead to infection and could affect the mental health of some people living in infested homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition to direct health issues related to bites, pesticide misuse is another cause for concern. Residents taking a maverick approach to treatment may use pesticides that are not intended for bed bug treatment and further put themselves at risk.
Because of a decline in bed bugs reports late in the 20th century, research has taken a backseat to other more pressing issues, until now. Attempts to form a battle plan is 2011 failed, when House Bill 967, the Bed Bug Management, Prevention, and Research Act of 2011 failed.
Integrated Attack Includes DoD
“The Federal Strategy on Bed Bugs,” developed by The Federal Bed Bug World Group, offers new hope that the government is lending a big hand. The draft received about a dozen or so public comments from citizens, pest control professionals, and others that the EPA will take into consideration when preparing the final version. The Group has a high-powered arsenal in the form of representatives from the CDC, EPA, HUD, and the U.S Department of Agriculture. Oh, and the Department of Defense.
The strategy addresses prevention, surveillance, community efforts, education, communication, and research. Most important, it brings government agencies together to plan an integrated attack on bed bugs.
The National Pest Management Association was among the respondents to offer support for the Strategy. Missy Henriksen, NPMA’s Vice President of Public Affairs, says additional resources are needed to create more cost-effective and less labor-intensive bed bug management efforts, as well as looking at more ways to better protect the public.
“It’s the most difficult pest to treat. It’s a very involved process, so we’ve asked the government to take a fresh look at some of the currently registered pest control products, screening existing products, looking at fast-tracking certain products,” she says. “We’re slightly above treading water but we’re not winning the war yet. We’re winning individual battles, and we continue to learn more about bed bugs.”
And, get some needed firepower from higher powers.