The future of healthcare pest management with Rentokil Terminix

Conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) have reached a fever pitch over the past year. However, AI and machine learning have been in motion for quite some time, even in simple forms such as customer service chatbots and the algorithms Netflix uses to recommend "what to watch."

For more than 100 years, Rentokil Initial companies have been steadfastly committed to being innovators in the pest management industry. Rentokil Terminix is proud to be part of this century-old tradition in North America.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and smart technologies are essential tools in the integrated pest management arsenal. Rentokil Terminix is proud to spearhead innovations that will help business-to-business customers and residential clients get ahead of localized pest problems and anticipate potential concerns across their wider enterprise organizations.

From digital pest control to non-toxic solutions, innovation is at the core of the Rentokil Terminix business. Some of these innovations include:
Curtailing rodent infestations with PestConnect technology

Climate change is influencing pest activity. With warmer winters, there's a longer breeding cycle and a lower rate of pest population attrition. Mice and rats, which can carry and spread pathogens that can potentially cause severe illness and disease in humans, are some of the most impacted. A 2023 survey of pest management providers found that 45 percent of those surveyed said rodent activity was slightly higher this year than last.1

Add to that increasing urbanization and you've got a recipe for more rodent encounters. According to the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan, 83 percent of the U.S. population already lives in "urban centers," and by 2050, that number is expected to increase to 89 percent.2 As we develop more land to accommodate growing populations, we increase the chances that rodents will attempt to infest manmade structures.

To tackle this growing problem, we created PestConnect. This system includes rodent capture and bait station devices outfitted with special sensors that detect and record rodent movement. When activity occurs at a device, it alerts our Command Center to rodent activity, and the type of rodent identified, through cellular technology. This technology helps provide our Technicians with the immediate information needed to react quickly and investigate concerns before they develop into infestations. In sensitive healthcare environments, this rapid response can be invaluable in helping to:

● Prevent pest contamination of sterile areas,
● Deter the chances of valuable inventory and equipment damage, and
● Help protect patients and staff from the dangers posed by rodents.

While PestConnect technology has been in use for over a decade, we continue to add to its capabilities. We're actively testing AI technology that can identify individual rodents, which has a myriad of uses.

Sustainable fly control with Lumnia®
Flies are known vectors of disease and can spread pathogens that can cause at least 65 diseases in humans.3 In healthcare environments, the presence of flies is of particular concern for that reason. In fact, one 18-month research study conducted at seven hospitals in the United Kingdom found that 53 percent of flies captured carried bacterial strains of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.4
Insect light traps (ILTs) have been essential in fighting flies for decades. However, ILTs can be energy intensive and have traditionally relied on fluorescent bulbs that contain mercury vapor or mercury. These types of bulbs are beginning to be banned for consumer use in some areas due to environmental concerns.

Rentokil Terminix is leveraging innovation to create a more effective fly control solution and help customers reduce their carbon footprint. Our Lumnia insect light trap range, offered by Rentokil, introduced the first LED insect light traps to the market in 2019, eliminating fluorescent bulbs and innovating functions to help reduce overall energy usage by up to 79 percent over other units on the market.5

● Lumnia's exclusive LED lamps have a 4-year lifespan.6
● Our tests show that these units catch flies 46 percent faster than other major ILTs available today.7
● Lumnia models include active lighting technology that adapts UV light output based on the available light in the environment, further reducing energy consumption.

A commitment to solving future challenges

At Rentokil Terminix, we've been finding ways to defeat pest problems for over 100 years. Our family of brands have a shared vision for, “Protecting People, Enhancing Lives and Preserving Our Planet,” and with our combined resources, we’ll do more to power innovation and develop sustainable solutions for our planet.

Our culture of constant innovation is driving our company to new and exciting opportunities that will soon be publicly announced during the first half of 2024. This new opportunity will serve as a catalyst for exploring emerging pest management products, strategies and tactics that can continue to drive safety and efficiency: non-toxic solutions, biopesticides and how we can continue to leverage technology for solving pest problems.

Trusted local service powered by global expertise

AI and machine learning can help improve efficiency, reduce costs and maximize accuracy – but they are not a replacement for human expertise. When we use these innovative tools in the science of pest management, they are complemented by the expertise of our highly trained Technicians who leverage the data and information AI can provide to help make program design decisions, targeted applications and customized action plans.

As the science of predictive analytics continues to advance, and our AI technology becomes smarter, the ability to track and even help predict pest activity will increase. That will, in turn, reduce our reliance on pesticides and chemicals, benefiting the environment. All of this will help minimize the impacts pests can have on customers, resulting in less pest disruption for busy healthcare operations, a reduced carbon footprint, and most importantly, an improved environment for wellness and healing.