• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Assessing pest population density
• Treatment
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

• "When making purchasing, construction, leasing, and other decisions that affect state government’s emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) or other toxic substances, agencies shall explicitly consider the benefits and costs (including the social costs of carbon) of available options to avoid those emissions. Where cost-effective and workable solutions are available that will reduce or eliminate emissions, decision makers shall select the lower-emissions options."

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

• USDA Certified BioBased
• The fertilizer or pesticide is certified by the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI)
• Mechanical pest management product such as a bait or trap
• Equipment used in service that are certified EnergyStar, EPEAT Bronze level or higher, e-Stewards, or Sustainable Electronics Reuse and Recycling (R2) Standard
• Products used in service that are certified Safer Choice, Green Screen, Cradle to Cradle, Green Seal, ECOLOGO, or Design for the Environment
• Products used in service that contain recycled content
  • Products used in service do not contain HFCs, mercury, PCBs
• B Corp

Best Practices

• Choose and properly maintain the appropriate plants for the area.
• Document and identify potential pests and determine a tolerance for threshold.
• Put up physical barriers or remove the pest by hand.
• Use chemical pesticides as the last resort and don’t over fertilize.

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington's green purchasing specifications:

• Contract 27523: Integrated pest management services

Things to avoid

• Toxics in products/services
• Tier 1 pesticides
• "Weed & feed" fertilizer/herbicide mixtures

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

• Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

• Department of Ecology: Dispose, recycle, or treat dangerous waste
• Washington Recycles