Pesticides not listed in the San Francisco Pesticide Hazard Screening List that meet Tier 3 criteria may also be considered least-toxic, but your project team should be prepared to demonstrate equivalency between the products used and the cited standard.

Use the San Francisco Pesticide Hazard Screening List (see Resources) as your guide to determining if the chemical pesticides you use on your site are considered least-toxic or if they will require universal notification prior to administration. Any pesticide that meets San Francisco’s Tier 3 criteria is considered a least-toxic pesticide.

Appropriate methods of toxic pesticide or bait application notification include: 

Emailing office workers
Posting signs for maintenance personnel 
If appropriate, communicate in non-English languages
Work with a tenant representative to pass along the notification to occupants in multi-tenant spaces.

Occupants may object to use of toxic pesticides. Use this as further motivation to avoid pesticide application.

Notification of occupants is a cornerstone of a comprehensive IPM program. Whenever the use of toxic pesticides or rodent baits is deemed necessary to combat an infestation either inside or on the grounds, the IPM manager must issue an alert to all building occupants:

at least 72 hours before application of toxic pesticides or baits under normal conditions;
or within 24 hours after toxic applications in emergency conditions. 

Create an approval process for vendor proposals of new chemical applications. The facility’s IPM manager should review all proposed chemicals and work with the vendor to consider non-chemical solutions to pest issues before resorting to least-toxic or toxic pesticides. This review process should be included in vendor contract language. 

Installing signage to educate building occupants about the value of protected land helps ensure that natural areas remain respected and protected. 

Work with the management team to ensure that continued protection protocols are put in place, to help preserve the open space. 

Consider the use of a master site plan or legal mechanism to protect this open space. Organizations like the Trust for Public Land (see Resources) may be able to help with financing by purchasing a conservation easement on a portion of the land in order to maintain perpetual open space and offset the cost of the land that is not being built on.

Continue to protect the areas designated as open space for the remainder of the building’s life.