Money Runs out for the war on bedbugs in Toronto
A one-time provincial grant of $1.2 million funded a dedicated team of inspectors and public health nurses over the last year to respond to bedbug questions and complaints, inspect units and provide the necessary services and support to the vulnerable, elderly or poor who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to successfully rid their homes of these persistent biting bugs.
Over the last year, the team inspected nearly 5,000 apartments, worked with residents in 1,300 units that were infested, and funded extreme cleaning for 150 who couldn’t afford to do it. Those are significant achievements for the first year of any program. Yet instead of continuing or, better still, expanding this successful approach, Toronto public health is now dismantling the bedbug team because its funding has dried up.
The provincial money was not renewed and the city has shown no interest in taking on the program’s costs. The public health board is now asking council to dip into the city’s surplus and pull out $180,000 to keep the program going at much reduced level.
EPA Denies Request to Ban 2-4-D Pesticide
Once again the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. has declared 2-4-D, (the most common active ingredient in herbicides used to control unwanted vegetation,) should not be taken off the market.
A petition filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) requested that EPA cancel all product registrations and revoke all tolerances (legal residue limits in food) for the pesticide 2,4-D.
EPA carefully reviewed NRDC’s request and based on studies addressing endocrine effects on wildlife species and the adequacy of personal protective equipment for workers, the Agency concluded that the science behind our current ecological and worker risk assessments for 2,4-D is sound and there is no basis to change the registrations.
During the recent review of the petition, EPA evaluated all the data cited by NRDC and new studies submitted to EPA in response to the reregistration decision. Included in the new studies is a state-of-the-science extended one-generation reproduction study. That study provides an in-depth examination of 2,4-D’s potential for endocrine disruptor, neurotoxic, and immunotoxic effects. This study and EPA’s comprehensive review confirmed EPA’s previous finding that the 2,4-D tolerances are safe.
Beware of Miracle Products to Eliminate Bed Bugs
D.E. cuts the surface of insects when they crawl over it, causing dehydration and death.
For factual tips see our web page: GET RID OF BEDBUGS
All products on the market in Canada to control pests, must be approved by health Canada and these products will have a PCP registration number and list of active ingredients.
Bats in the News: WNS ‘endangers’ Canadian bats
White-nose Syndrome is killing Canadian bats in such catastrophic numbers that the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada is recommending an emergency order to add three bat species to the nation’s endangered species list. The wildlife disease, discovered in a New York cave in 2006, is so deadly that it poses a “serious and imminent threat to the survival” of these bats, the committee of wildlife experts concluded after an emergency meeting. The species are the tri-colored bat, little brown myotis and northern myotis... This is one of the biggest events in terms of a massive decline in a common mammal in such a short period of time ever recorded,” committee member Graham Forbes, of the University of New Brunswick reported. “This is dramatic.” WNS has battered bat populations in four Canadian provinces. Learn more »
Experts Predict 2012 Pivotal Year in Bed Bug War
"Each year the challenges of fighting bed bugs change and grow," said James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed, a company that makes mattress encasement products to keep bed bugs away from their human prey. "Now that the industry has begun working together it's easier to see the best way forward." Experts agreed that bed bug reports in some large U.S. cities -- such as New York -- will plateau in 2012 due mainly to increased education and prevention. However, they caution that the number of reports is expected to grow in other cities not previously experiencing high levels of bed bug colonies. Most of the experts also predicted a "significant increase" in bed bug colonies outside the home, in places like hotels and office buildings.
Bedbug Spray To Blame For Apartment Fire
New Wildlife Trap Sends you an email when activated
Trap-Alert uses wireless technology that sends the user an email when a trap is triggered. The system is a combination of hardware, software, GPS and wireless technologies that enables users to actively monitor the status and location of their traps through a web-based application. Designed to save time and money, Trap-Alert has been field-tested and is the most affordable monitoring system for traps on the market, the company says.
The trap will be available from Wildlife Control Supplies.
New Online Course For Canadian Pest Control Professionals.
Canadian Pesticides
Applicators' Core Training
An online course has
been developed by Open
School BC for the Ministry
of Environment based
on the 2011 edition of the
Canadian Pesticide Education
Program’s Applicator
Core Manual.
This course teaches the
core knowledge required for
certification as a pesticide
applicator in Canada. It is
also a valuable resource for
anybody applying pesticides.
The course introduces the
practices of Integrated Pest
Management and the
foundational knowledge to
prevent and control pests
while having the least
impact on the environment.
Additional Applicator
Core Manual readings are
required in addition to the
online activities. The
Applicator Core Manual required to take the
certification exam is purchased separately.
It is important to note that completion of
this course does not
certify pesticides
applicators.
Candidates also need to
study training material
specific to they type of
work they will be doing and
will be required to pass a provincial certification
exam. Click here
for a complete course
outline.
Beware self-help bedbug remedies
MARLBOROUGH — With bedbug infestations growing over the last few years, so has the market for over-the-counter, do-it-yourself remedies that health agents say can make the problem worse or create health risks. "These over-the-counter or off-the shelf remedies that you might get at your local hardware distributors, you could be doing more harm than good," said Bob Landry, Marlborough city sanitarian. The pests are notoriously difficult - and expensive - to eradicate. The bugs are resistant to many pesticides and typically congregate in crevices that are difficult to access. Professional treatments can be expensive and often require a few rounds of treatment. The cost and hassle of professional treatment has led to a boom in products that claim to remove infestations.
"What I don't recommend doing is applying a pesticide unless you know what you are doing," said Milford Public Health Director Paul Mazzuchelli. "Today's pesticides, especially those sold over the counter, would be met with resistance." Mazzuchelli pointed to the obvious health risks of using pesticide agents inside a home without knowing the dangers the chemicals could pose to people or pets. "We are trying to educate tenants and landlords," he said. "It should be handled in the hands of a professional pest control operator." Beyond health risks, Landry said using ineffective pesticides may make the problem worse, especially for those living in buildings with multiple homes. "They think that they can get away with a method that they think works and is cheap," Landry said. "Those bedbugs will just begin to retreat into he walls or into an adjacent unit." http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/lifestyle/health/x1510864783/Beware-self-help-bedbug-remedies
OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising Canadians about the potential dangers of buying pesticides over the internet. In recent years, an increasing number of homeowners and gardeners have been looking for alternative pesticides for use in their homes and gardens. As a result, there are many websites selling pest control products, many of which are not approved for sale in Canada.
Consumers should be aware that there is no assurance that product claims made on the internet are reliable. Health Canada urges consumers wishing to purchase pest control products online to consult the Pesticide Product Information Database, which contains a list of registered pesticide products and active ingredients that are authorized for sale in Canada.
Unregistered pesticides often do not contain the necessary precautions or instructions in either of Canada's official languages, which, in addition to not meeting Health Canada's labeling requirement, could lead to accidental misuse or injury. For guidelines on the safe and effective use of pesticides, please consult Health Canada's Fact Sheet on Homeowner Guidelines for Using Pesticides.
