February - March 2008
defeat the dumpster
Crack Down on the Foul, Pest-Friendly Odors
From Your Property’s Waste Disposal Areas
By Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D., B.C.E.
Director of Quality Systems, Orkin, Inc.
Despite
your best efforts to attract people to your property, a foul odor can
quickly turn them off. In fact, aromas play an integral role in a person’s
mood, feeling of well-being and quality of life. According to the Sense
of Smell Institute, humans recall smells with 65 percent accuracy after
a year, and our odor memories are directly connected with our emotions.
In essence, it only takes one unpleasant odor to make a permanent bad
impression.
Often the source of unpleasant smells in commercial settings, large dumpsters can emit stenches that quickly turn off tenants and guests, but turn on pests. Unlike humans, pests like flies, cockroaches and rodents gravitate toward the odors from waste areas, which signal a food source. Once they arrive, pests enjoy the shelter a dumpster can provide. Before long, and if unattended, the site can become a breeding ground for pests.
Controlling dumpster odor is difficult because these large containers often combine many different types of waste for long periods of time. Decaying organic material can be the worst culprit. When debris such as food waste break down, malodorous bacteria quickly results. This type of debris can be abundant on large commercial properties, especially those with foodservice operations. Small animals like rodents that expire on or near the property also can cause a stink that will draw other pests to the area.
Since
foul smells can play a role in your facility’s pest management efforts,
work with a professional to reduce odor and prevent it from affecting
other areas in your building. The key component of odor elimination is
stringent sanitation. The more often and thoroughly dumpsters are cleaned,
the less organic debris will be left to decompose and develop into a bad
smell. Incorporate the following odor elimination steps into your building’s
routine sanitation program:
• Work with a waste management company to regularly remove all
trash from the property.
• Don’t allow trash to sit unattended next to the building
or around the dumpster. Keep all waste inside a dumpster or similar disposal
device.
• Position dumpsters as far away from the building as possible,
and rotate and clean them on a set schedule.
• Regularly sanitize dumpsters with an organic cleaner to eliminate
grease and grime.
• Wash down the sidewalk and parking lot surrounding the dumpster
to remove any debris.
To make sure that odors from your waste disposal area don’t infiltrate your building, work with your professional to use positive airflow to help prevent odors from wafting in. When airflow is positive, air blows out of, not into, open doors and windows. To test airflow, hold a lighter or match near an open door. If the flame blows out of the building, then the airflow is positive. If it blows inside, work with your HVAC provider to change your building’s airflow. As an extra measure in areas leading directly from waste disposal areas, strategically place fans inside entrances to push air out when doors open.
Work with your pest management professional to learn about other parts of your property that could develop foul odors and design a regular regimen to help prevent problems.Your efforts will help ensure that everyone who enters your building leaves with a positive, pleasant impression of your business.
Dr.
Zia Siddiqi is Director of Quality Systems for Orkin, Inc. A Board Certified
Entomologist with more than 30 years in the industry, Dr. Siddiqi is an
acknowledged leader in the field of pest management. For more information,
email zsiddiqi@rollins.com or
visit www.orkincommercial.com.
