San Francisco’s IPM Program Ordinance, established in 1996, introduces an integrated approach to all pest control activities within City operations. The program uses regular monitoring to determine if and when treatments are needed, while employing procedures—sanitation, pest prevention measures, and non-chemical management—that keep pest numbers low enough to avoid intolerable damage or annoyance.

The IPM Program produces and regularly updates a list of reduced-risk pesticides, which are approved for use on city property. The approval process employs an extensive tier-rating system that evaluates pesticides on factors such as chronic, environmental, and non-target effects. The San Francisco IPM Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of City departments and other stakeholders, examines other risk factors such as use patterns, potential for exposure, and hazards of alternatives, followed by the recommendation of a pesticide for inclusion on the Reduced-Risk Pesticide List.