Environmental Pest Management, otherwise know as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) involves socially acceptable, environmentally responsible and economically practical method of controlling pest populations. IPM practitioners utilise a variety of cultural, biological and chemical methods to efficiently manage pest populations while lowering dependence on chemical means of control.

Through this multi-tactical approach IPM achieves four goals:

• lessens the potential for pesticide resistance amongst organisms
• reduces the costs of chemicals used for pest control
• limits human exposure to pesticides and
• lowers the environmental impact of pest management.

For example, a homeowner may attempt to control cockroaches by spraying pesticides in the house each week. Unfortunately, this approach to cockroach control exposes the entire household to the same toxins. Alternatively, the homeowner could apply IPM to control roaches by:

• removing roach food sources (e.g., better kitchen sanitation, proper storage of pet food)
• eliminating sources of water (e.g., repair of leaky pipes)
• preventing roach entry into the home (e.g., securely fitting screens and doors), and
• using pesticides only when the other techniques do not control the roach population.

Pesticides may still be used occasionally, but the family does not face constant exposure.