City Targets Mattresses in War Against Bed Bugs

The Department of Sanitation changed the rules for the way New Yorkers dispose of mattresses and box springs to limit the spread of the insects.


By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — The Department of Sanitation has changed its rules for how New Yorkers are to dispose of mattresses in response to the bed bug epidemic in the city.

The DSNY is requiring that people putting mattresses or box springs on the sidewalk for collection cover them with a plastic bag to help prevent an increase in bed bugs, the agency said in a statement.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images - FILE)

Under the new policy, residents who don’t dispose of their mattress properly will incur a $100 fine. The DSNY won’t put the new rule — and the accompanying fine for not following it — into full effect until Jan. 3rd, 2011.

"There has been a rise in bed bug-related complaints within the City, and bedding is the prime nesting place for most bed bugs," Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty said in the statement.
"With this new rule, ...we will safeguard our workers and help to mitigate the spread of bed bugs throughout the City."

Council member Gale Brewer, who introduced a bill in 2008 to put the new mattress disposal rule into action, was supportive of the DSNY's efforts to curtail the spread of bed bugs throughout New York City.

"I appreciate the efforts made by the Department of Sanitation to address the bed bug epidemic that our city has been grappling with, an issue I have been working on since 2006," Brewer said in a statement.

If residents leave their improperly discarded mattress in front of a building that is not theirs, the property owner will receive a fine. But, as with all summonses the DSNY gives out, the owner would go before the Environmental Control Board and be able to dispute the fine, Sanitation Department spokesman Matt Lipani told DNAinfo.

Lipani emphasized that if someone dumps a mattress in front of a residence that isn't theirs, that constituted illegal dumping.


Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20101204/manhattan/city-targets-mattresses-war-against-bed-bugs#ixzz17CaxeDVU

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Don't Let Bed Bugs Bite
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Could Every Dream Be a Lucid Dream?

Biting back against bedbugs: Totowa company sees problem as an opportunity

BY ANDREW TANGEL

STAFF WRITER

As bedbugs infest news coverage and crawl into the public consciousness, a Totowa business has found an opportunity for profit.

TYSON TRISH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Totowa business is capitalizing on the bed bug hysteria of the day. Precision Custom Coatings LLC is making covers that will keep bed bugs out of mattresses. The mattress covers help hotel operators salvage at least the mattresses in the case of infestations. Shaile Dusaj is the company's point person for the covers.

Precision Custom Coatings LLC, which produces fabric interior linings for products from shirts to cars to climate-control systems, has begun producing bedbug-proof mattress coverings.

Precision started producing the encasements — which aim to keep the blood-sucking pests from colonizing mattresses and box springs — in mid-2009.

"It's a problem for some people. It's an opportunity for us," said Shaile Dusaj, Precision's director of industrial sales.

By this time last year, the company's three factories in China were shipping 40,000 encasements a month to Precision's customers, which then repackage them under their own brand names and distribute to retailers, Dusaj said.

Now the company is shipping about 160,000 encasements a month, mostly to the United States but also to Australia, Thailand and Japan.

"It has just exploded," Dusaj said of demand.

It's unclear to what extent bedbugs have become more of a problem. The bugs had been considered eradicated but have resurfaced at high-profile locations such as the Niketown store in Manhattan.

While the demand has grown, Dusaj said Precision's three factories outside of Shanghai are running at only about one-third of capacity.

Precision began producing the encasements last summer after its customers expressed interest in the products, the components of which Precision already made, Dusaj said. The company had produced similar coverings marketed to sufferers of dust-mite allergies.

The bedbug-proof encasements are made from polyester fabric laminated to a polyurethane film, along with a fine-tooth zipper that closes tightly, covering the entire mattress.

"The encasement is a proven non-chemical tool to reduce the potential harborages for the bedbugs," Changlu Wang, a Rutgers University entomologist, said, using the technical term for where bedbugs live.
While one could argue encasements can lead to more dispersed infestations, Wang thinks they are a good part of a pest-control strategy.

In cases of outbreaks involving non-encased mattresses, the cases can trap the bedbugs after investgations.

"They sense the presence of the host. They want to bite, but they cannot bite through," Wang said.

"They can multiply inside," he added, "but they cannot get out. Eventually they will starve to death."

In 2009, Precision sold about 200,000 encasements, contributing 1 percent to the company's annual revenue of about $120 million, said Scott Tesser, Precision's president. Precision sells its products to businesses that distribute to retail stores and hotels.

So far this year, Tesser said, the company has sold more than 600,000 units. At this rate, he said, encasements would contribute up to 7 percent to the company's sales this year.

Tesser expects Precision's mattress encasement sales to at least double next year, but it's unclear how strong demand will remain in the long term.

"I'm not sure how long the window stays open," Tesser said. "I'm sure at some point the 'epidemic' gets under control. Does the consumer feel the same need to purchase a mattress encasement? I don't know. But I'm certainly anticipating this current scenario will last through 2011."

E-mail: tangel@northjersey.com

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best way to buy a mattress | Do You Have Bed Bug Infestation And Not Know It?

Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite - Clean Your Mattress

While bed bugs are becoming a problem in many hotels and even some home, most people do not need to worry about these 1/4 inch long bugs that feed on your blood. Bed mites, however are another story and something that almost everyone has right in their bed!

Bed mites or house dust mites microscopic bugs that live on dead skin cells. They are in your pillows, your carpet, your furniture and most other places. A mattress can host tens of thousands of these little creatures!

While these mites are typically not harmful, they can contribute to allergies and asthma and most people want to limit the population of mites in their homes - and mattresses. One way to accomplish this is to make sure to clean your bed clothes regularly, buy new pillows every 6 months and clean your mattress twice a year.

Cleaning Your Mattress

Vacuuming is a good way to clean any mattress. Vacuum the sides, the box springs and every nook and corner. It's a good idea to make this part of your cleaning routine and plan to vacuum the mattress every time you take mattress pad out to wash.

Rotating your mattress is also another way to keep it in good condition. . This prevents rough use of the mattress and keeps the pressure zones from settling to one spot on the mattress.

From time to time, you might want to clean the mattress with upholstery shampoo. Try looking for a product called Dry Suds that will help eliminate stubborn stains. Mix a small detergent with warm water, beat it up in a beater. Now remove the froth and the stuff that remains is great for cleaning these stains.

If you need to dry the mattress after washing, you can use a blow dryer but this can be very time consuming. Another method is to set the mattress out in the sun to dry. This will also help air it out and the mattress can benefit from the anti-bacterial properties of the sun.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com

About the Author

Lee Dobbins writes for www.bedding.around-florida.com where you can learn more about everything to do with beds and bedding

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Do You Have Bed Bug Infestation And Not Know It?

photo credit: Bedzine

For most individuals they never consider that when they return home from vacation they may be bringing something more than just souvenirs and fond memories. Bed bugs can easily make their way from one locale to another just by grabbing onto a persons clothing.

Most people have absolutely no idea what a bed bug is and how to identify when you have a problem with them. Bed bugs are difficult to see with the naked eye because they are so small. In fact, an adult bed bug is no more than about a quarter of an inch in length.

Bed bugs survive by eating off of warm blooded animals. That is why they so enjoy nestling into the warmth of bed sheets. Many people do not even realize that they have a problem with these small critters at first. It can take months of bites before they are aware that they are being eaten by these bugs each night.

One of the main reasons that it can take people some time to realize that they have a bed bug problem is that the bugs do not show themselves during daylight hours. They hide under floor boards or behind furniture until the lights go out. Once the individual is fast asleep the bugs make their way close to the sleeper and start to feed.

The bites of bed bugs closely resemble the bites that you might expect to get from something like a mosquito. A small, reddish bump may appear on the skin and in some cases it can produce a slight itching reaction as well.

If you do suspect that you have bed bugs you will need to put on your detective cap. There are several places to check to see if you do have this problem. One is right in your bed. Remove the blankets and thoroughly check the sheets. Look in any creases and under the pillows. While you are searching keep in mind that you may find evidence of the bed bugs but not the actual bugs. Bed bugs leave waste material that is either a dark brown or reddish color.

Getting rid of bed bugs can prove to be a challenge. The reason is that the bugs tend to lay eggs in discreet places. The first step you need to take is to throw out all bedding and consider replacing your mattress. After you have done this you need to thoroughly clean the room. Remove any clutter and vacuum all exposed areas. You should also remove any desk or dresser drawers and clean beneath and behind them.

Dealing with bed bugs can be difficult but it is certainly not impossible. Once you discover that you are sharing your home with these unwanted visitors take the necessary steps to rid yourself of them forever.

Source: Free Articles

About the Author

Are you interested in the truth about healthy lifestyles? Bill Urell MA.CAAP-II,reviews only the best fitness plans, tips, and articles.Click here: http://www.bedbugs.best-info-only.com/

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