The Department of Defense goal for the year 2000 is to reduce pesticide use 50 percent from a 1993 baseline. An integrated pest management program will let us do that. In fiscal year 1993, AMC bases used 7,363 pounds of pesticides in its industrial areas. Civil engineering used 89 percent of it, mostly for weed control, while Services used most of the remaining 11 percent to control fungal diseases on base golf courses. If a short-term chemical solution is needed, we'll use the least toxic materials available .
Weeds get a lot of attention.
Left unattended in cracks, they hurry the erosion process. With thawing and freezing, considerable damage can occur and maintenance and repair costs rise. Herbicides kill the weeds, but runoff from a hard surface may find its way into soil or even underground water sources. One of the most abhorred insects is the cockroach. They seek food, water and tiny spaces for shelter.