Environmental Policy

1.Our environmental commitment

Pest control should remove the problem without harming anything else. At Urgent Pest Control Ltd we use the least harmful method that will work, protect wildlife, pets and people who are not the target, and meet all the environmental and wildlife laws that apply to our work.

2.Integrated pest management: proofing first

We follow the principles of integrated pest management (IPM): find out why the pest is there, remove what attracts it, block the way in, and only use pesticides where they are needed.

• Every visit starts with a survey to identify the species, how it is getting in and what it is feeding on.
• Where we can, we recommend pest proofing, such as sealing gaps with wire wool, mesh and cement, so the problem doesn’t keep coming back.
• We give you hygiene and housekeeping advice, because food, water and shelter are what keep pests in a building.
• We use monitoring traps to check whether a treatment has worked, rather than treating again by default.

3.Protecting non-target species

• Rodenticides are only used where they are needed, in tamper-resistant bait stations, and in line with the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime, which aims to protect birds of prey and other wildlife from secondary poisoning.
• We check for rodent bodies on follow-up visits and remove them, along with any uneaten bait, when the treatment ends.
• Insecticides are applied to the label, only where the target pest is, and never where they could run into ponds, drains or watercourses.
• We never touch protected species such as bats and badgers. See our humane wildlife policy.

4.Bees: relocation, not destruction

Bees are vital pollinators. We work with local beekeepers to relocate honeybee swarms and colonies, and we kill bees only as an absolute last resort, for example where a nest is in a place that puts people at real risk and can’t be moved. Bumblebee nests usually die off naturally at the end of the season, so we often advise leaving them alone. Read our bee relocation policy.

5.Humane wildlife handling

Where an animal has to be caught, such as a grey squirrel in a loft, we use methods that avoid unnecessary suffering, as the Animal Welfare Act 2006 requires. Live-capture traps are checked regularly. Full details are in our humane wildlife policy.

6.Waste and our duty of care

• We follow the waste duty of care. Waste from our jobs, such as old bait, empty product containers, dead pests, wasp nests and bird guano, is stored safely, described correctly and only handed to people who are authorised to take it.
• Anyone who carries waste as part of their business must be registered with the Environment Agency. If a contractor removes waste for us, we check their registration on the public register first.
• Pesticide containers are emptied, stored and disposed of as the product label says. We never pour pesticides down drains or sinks.
• We carry spill kits and deal with any spill straight away.

7.Choosing and using products

• We only use professional products approved for use in Great Britain, applied by trained technicians.
• Where a non-chemical method will work, such as heat treatment for bed bugs, trapping or proofing, we offer it.
• Products are stored, mixed and used as the manufacturer’s label and safety data sheets say.

8.Travel and vehicles

• We book our diary by area to cut the miles between jobs across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
• Our vans are serviced regularly, and we don’t leave engines idling on site.
• When it’s time to replace vehicles and equipment, we’ll look at lower-emission options.

9.Paperless working

Bookings, confirmations, quotes, treatment reports and receipts are sent digitally and kept in your customer account. We print very little.

10.Helping customers prevent problems

A lot of infestations can be prevented. We’ll tell you what attracted the pests and how to stop them coming back: store food in sealed containers, keep bins closed, clear clutter and fix gaps around pipes and doors. Our guide to what attracts rats and mice and pest proofing help prevent repeat call-outs.

11.Review

We review this policy at least once a year, and whenever our services or the law change. Got an idea for how we could do better? We’d like to hear it. Contact us using the details on this page.