Total Environmental Restoration Services, Inc. (TERS) Rids 200,000 New York Legal Files of Bed Bugs

NANUET, N.Y., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of major bed bug infestations that made news throughout New York City in 2011, one of the top New York City office buildings faced an infestation with a unique challenge. Recently environmental remediation experts from Total Environmental Restoration Services, Inc. (TERS) aided government officials in the careful elimination of bed bugs from office files at their 300,000 square-foot New York City building.

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Called upon for their 20-year reputation, TERS offers full-service environmental testing, remediation, and restoration for residential and commercial locations with fire and smoke cleanup, flood/water damage repair, mold remediation, and other disaster recovery requirements throughout New York (NY), New York City (NYC), New Jersey (NJ), Connecticut (CT), and as far reaching as Rhode Island (RI), Pennsylvania (PA), Delaware (DE), and Maryland (MD).

Bed bugs, dreaded parasitic insects, are referred to as hitchhikers for their tendency to latch on to someone or something and move from place to place. They easily stow away in luggage, on clothing, in shipments, and even in files.

Loss Description

The bed bug infestation of a 300,000 square-foot office building in New York City affected over 200,000 paper files. "Bed bugs like living in files," says Gary (Gadi) Shaked, Environmental Analyst at TERS, "they seek out small cracks and crevices where they can safely hide and reproduce."

Infestations in office buildings can be particularly challenging because so many people and deliveries enter each day. With a multitude of entry and exit points, officials and business owners have to manage both extermination and employee concern during cleanup.

Unique Issues

Due to the wide-scale extermination effort, TERS specialists worked on a collaborative plan with third-party exterminators to address the comprehensive remediation needs. "Our experience has taught us that the best way to tackle infestations like this is simultaneous restoration," explained Shaked.

All 200,000 files were expertly cataloged, packed, and transported by TERS technicians to be cleaned at the TERS facility while exterminators were cleaning the office building. "Not only does it speed the remediation process," he continued, "but it is truly the safest way to ensure complete cleanup." With the files out of the way, exterminators had greater access to the office space and could address the bed bug issue without risk of damaging valuable information. 

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the job was the nature of the problem itself. Shaked added, "This is a relatively new field of remediation. Industry treatment knowledge is limited and typically harsh chemicals are used to eradicate the bed bugs. We don't work that way. Our state-of-the-art methods are completely chemical-free and highly effective."

Job Elements

TERS experts are trained in the careful handling of files to ensure complete confidentiality and safe transport. Once at the TERS remediation facility, a barcode tracking system to systematically check and treat all 200,000 files, ensuring that file order and indexing was maintained.

Using only in-house technicians and equipment, TERS employed an environmentally friendly, organic cleanup approach. Their uniquely green methods prevent damage to files and leave no toxic residue behind.

Job Recognition

Once the office building was deemed bed bug-free, TERS returned the clean files to the office. Their cataloging system ensured each file was returned to the appropriate, individual office in complete order.

TERS provided documentation to the government officials, building owner and employees' union certifying that the bed bug file problem had been addressed. All procedures and results were approved by the New York Environmental Department of Health.

"The officials in this agency were able to resume productivity in a clean, bed bug-free space," assured Shaked, "but most important, the employees returned to a safe environment without risk of being in contact with chemical residue."

The recovery and restoration of documents, books, and files is among TERS' many specialties. Their in-house technicians are trained in the latest environmentally friendly remediation efforts and technology available. Rapid response teams are available 24/7 to provide a comprehensive range of remediation services.

Learn more
Total Environmental Restoration Services, Inc. (TERS)
www.TERS.com
24/7 emergency hotline 877-777-3117

SOURCE www.TERS.com