Health Canada warns of homemade concoctions as bans come into effect 

OTTAWA -- As the gardening season takes root, Health Canada is warning consumers to beware the perils of home-brewed pesticides. "Homemade pesticides do not undergo scientific evaluation and do not have label directions that the user can follow to ensure safe use of the desired pest-control," says a Health Canada newsletter.

Pesticides in stores are evaluated and registered by Health Canada, it says. "The product label also specifies how to use a product safely and effectively." If consumers decide to use a pesticide, they should choose one it has registered because these "meet the latest health and safety standards and they are effective."

A slew of websites provide home recipes for annihilating everything from ants to aphids, slugs to snails. Health Canada spokesman Edith Lachapelle said basic pesticide solutions such as soap and water aren't harmful, but others are. For example:
- Boiling rhubarb leaves. This extracts oxalic acid, "which can be toxic to various organ systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems."
- Extracting nicotine. This stimulates the nervous system, and, at high doses, causes respiratory failure. It "can also adversely affect the developing nervous system of unborn babies."
- Cooking Chrysanthemum. The plant contains pyrethrums, from which natural insecticide pyrethrin is derived. "These chemicals can affect the nervous system and can produce allergic reactions in some individuals."
- Kerosene and gasoline. In addition to being flammable, their fumes can damage the lungs and nervous system.

Government being sued for safe herbicide ban
OTTAWA,  The government of Canada is being sued by Dow Agrosciences LLC over the province of Quebec's ban on pesticides. Quebec first banned the sale of 2,4-D, commonly used to make lawns weed free, and Ontario has just introduced similar bans. 

The suit is based on part of the North American Free Trade Agreement that allows businesses to sue governments over regulations that harm their interests. Ironically, the federal Health Canada agency endorses the use of the herbicide according to manufacturers' directions. In its notice of arbitration, Dow claimed Quebec has "no scientific basis to impose the ban" and said the pesticide received extensive testing and is safe to use as directed.  Brenda Harris, spokesperson for Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., said "Do we want regulations in Canada made on political whim.... or do we want them based on science?" 

How Safe Are The Pesticides Available in Canada?
Pesticides are regulated by Health Canada under the Pest Control Products Act, and are among the most stringently regulated substances in Canada. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency is the branch of Health Canada that administers the Act on behalf of the Minister of Health.
Read more about the regulatory process on this Health Canada web page: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/index-eng.php

New ways to get rid of bedbugs
The pest control industry is now unveiling new weapons in the fight against bedbugs. Once an infestation of bedbugs starts, they are tough to get rid of. Some traditional sprays and chemicals no longer work in places they have been frequently used. "A high percentage of the bedbugs that we're encountering from around the United States have developed immunity to our most widely used group of insecticides for bedbug control," entomologist Dr. Michael Potter said.

 One technique is called ThermaPureHeat. Experts use special equipment to heat up a room to around 140 degrees. "We have to get those temperatures inside of mattresses and box springs, inside of wall voids, underneath carpet and padding," ThermaPureHeat spokesperson Michael Linford said. “It has to be circulated heated air, properly measured and filtered so that we achieve a kill."

You can also freeze them out. Cryonite is an icy carbon dioxide spray that kills the critters on contact. "You can spray it in electrical outlets, you can spray it in kitchen equipment,” said Douglas Stern, of Stern Environmental Group. “It's doesn't harm the furniture because it's dry. It totally evaporates."

Dr. Potter says these techniques show promise, but there are limitations. He says the snowy spray only kills what it hits, so you may miss some hiding in cracks. And with the heating method, some might escape to an adjoining room. The creators of the heat technique say that's why they suggest treating the entire home in severe cases. As for the cold spray: "We recommend leaving some sort of chemical or non-chemical residual behind to catch the ones that we are not able to kill," Stern said.
Experts say it's easier to get rid of bedbugs when you catch them early. If you wake up with itchy welts, it's not a guarantee you're infested but it is a possible sign.
 

Electronic Rodent Control Devices Are A Scam
We get numerous questions submitted to "ask the experts" regarding electronic rodent control. Here is a typical example:

  In your answer to the question #122 and several others - 'do these electronic devices really work' - you state that if they did, pest professionals would be using them.  I feel that it would be counter-productive for pest control companies to use these devices, as their services would no longer be necessary, thus putting you out of business. I am an informed consumer and will be looking elsewhere for completely unbiased information on these devices.   Diane.  Coombs, BC. 

Thank you for your input on this subject.  We would be pleased to hear from you again when you have found some unbiased information that favors the use of electronic rodent control devices.  We will publish that information on the home page of this web site.  We have been researching these devices for years and so far the only unbiased info we have been able to find has all been negative. For example here is a quote from a study done at The University of California/Davis:
   "Although mice are easily frightened by strange or unfamiliar noises, they quickly become accustomed to regularly repeated sounds. Ultrasonic sounds, those above the range of human hearing, have very limited use in rodent control because they are directional and do not penetrate behind objects. They also lose their intensity quickly with distance. There is little evidence that electronic, sound, magnetic, or vibration devices of any kind will drive established mice or rats from buildings or provide adequate control. Despite their lack of effectiveness, many such devices continue to be sold through magazine advertisements and at some retail outlets."
You can read more on this study on this web page: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7483.html 

Another good source of information is the Illinois Department of Health
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pchousemouse.htm