Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Every year, pest control professionals ascend on our nation’s capital to raise awareness with their legislators about important issues impacting the pest control industry. National Pest Management Association (NMPA) Legislative Day 2013, in Washington DC, offered pest control professionals the opportunity to build stronger relationships with a new-look Congress.

NMPA Legislative Day 2013 In Washington 

March 17-19 2013 marked NMPA Legislative Day in Washington DC; and some 400 pest control professionals attended to make sure their voices were heard by Congress. Important business and tax issues were discussed, including issues surrounding the PESTT Act, paperless reporting, and the use of Sulfuryl Fluoride on food.

Those who attended got to listen to prominent speakers, like former Vice-Presidential candidate Paul Ryan; who spoke of trying to eliminate burdensome taxes on PCO’s. By all accounts, Ryan’s speech was the highlight Legislative Day.

New Pest Control Opportunities With A New Congress

The new Congress, which convened on January 3, 2013, is a once-in-a-generation Congress. One-third (180 new members the last two election cycles) of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are new; with less than three years experience. The Senate has seen similar turnover, with 25 new Senators being elected in 2012 and 2010 elections.

With this in mind, pest control professionals had a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to forge relationships with tomorrow’s leaders during NMPA Legislative Day 2013. These relationships can establish partnerships with a new generation of federal lawmakers, which will ultimately benefit the entire professional pest management industry for generations. The impact of this change in Congress is difficult to overstate.

Topics Of Discussion At Legislative Day

While much discussion at NMPA Legislative Day focused on pest control business and tax issues; there were also three critical issues that were addressed with the new Congress.

PESTT Act

Legislative Day attendees asked their legislators to support the Pest Elimination Services Transparency and Terminology Act (PESTT Act) which aims to limit USDA-Wildlife Services competition with the private sector for rodent, nuisance bird and wildlife work. Essentially, PCO’s don’t want to have to compete against USDA Wildlife Services for pest control.

The two key components of the PESTT Act are: (1) to define the term “urban rodent control”; and (2) to direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to write a report identifying activities that Wildlife Services performs that the private sector has the capability and capacity to perform; and to make further recommendations. Another issue the PESTT Act is trying to correct is that USDA Wildlife Services is authorized to work at non-agricultural settings.

The NMPA’s ultimate goal is to get this legislation inserted into the farm bill, so PCO’s have less competition with the government for pest control services.

Sulfuryl Fluoride Food Usage

Pest control professionals involved in fumigation work wanted to make sure their voices were heard at Legislative Day; regarding the proposed cancelling of Sulfuryl Fluoride usage on food.

Sulfuryl Fluoride has come under attack from activist groups which have a waged a lengthy war on the pesticide, demanding the stoppage of Sulfuryl Fluoride usage in food-processing facilities. The EPA began listening to these demands in 2011 and began phasing out the pesticide, even though Sulfuryl Fluoride contributes no more that 2-3% of the public’s exposure to fluoride. PCO’s wish to continue using Sulfuryl Fluoride for pest control because some groups in the food sector are now completely reliant on it.

Paperless Reporting

Many pest control companies have gone paperless in order to save costs, go greener, boost efficiency, and promote professionalism. Unfortunately, a barricade that PCOs have run into is that some states mandate pest control operators keep hard copies of pesticide records, use reports, and consumer info sheets—Even if a pest control company has invested a large sum of money to go paperless. Many of these requirements were written in the 1970s and 1980s before people could imagine today’s technology.

Pest control professionals lobbied Congress at Legislative Day to introduce legislation that would allow PCO’s to keep records and reports electronically. Since each State’s laws are different, the issue needs to be addressed on the Federal level.

We Want To Hear From You

If you were able to attend NMPA Legislative Day 2013 In Washington DC, we’d love to hear about your experience.

We’d also love to hear your thoughts on the proposed legislation (i.e. Sulfuryl Fluoride usage, paperless reporting, and the PESTT Act).

Read more about NMPA Legislative Day 2013 at pctonline.com

Related articles

• PCO Choice – Quart W/sprayer
• Becoming a pest investigator
• Republican Outrage at USDA E-Mail Shows Mistrust of Cuts
• Topeka, Kansas, Urged To Remove Fluoride From Drinking Water To Protect Legislators’ IQs
• Agencies Can Soon Use Herbicides, Pesticides On State Lands Without Permit

Anthony Ball

Image via Flickr

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced, that it has plans to ban 20 rat and mouse control products, because they use “loose” bait. The EPA claims that the products are especially dangerous, because they are sold for use in homes where unsupervised children or pets, may come into contact with them.

“There is no question these rodenticides can cause harm in someone who misuses them, but are we prepared to ban them entirely and allow rodents, mice, and other vermin to destroy 25 percent of our food stocks; the way they do throughout the rest of the world?” asks a senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Those who have studied the effects of the EPA’s proposed ban, say that the agency’s plan could also have a profound effect, on the public’s health and safety. They warn that the ban may force people to rely on products, from an alternate class of rodenticides, which may have no known antidote. The proposed plan could also force consumers to avoid treating their homes, unless they can afford to hire a pest control professional; to deal with a rodent invasion. Because some families do not have the addition income, that would allow them to afford an exterminator, they may have to endure a rodent outbreak; without treating it. You can imagine how this would eventually lead, to serious health concerns.

Opposition to the EPA ban says that the agency is formulating it’s decision, on a data that was relevant between 1993 and 2008. The report said that the American Association of Poison Control Centers, received 12,000 to 15,000 reports of rat and mouse poison exposures each year, regarding children under 6 years old. Improper use or lack of parental supervision, the opposition says, is not a good enough reason to ban such useful product; from the marketplace.  They fear is that the people living in poverty, will be the ones most adversely affected by the proposed ban. With professional exterminators likely being too expensive for them to hire, there is a higher propensity for them to be afflicted by rodent problems, and the most likely candidates for serious health issues.

Related articles

• NPMA Estimates 21 Million Rodents Are Seeking Food & Shelter (blogpestcontrol.com)
• How much of a Pie Chart Looks Like Pac-Man per Matt Cutts? (dreamsystemsmedia.com)
• The Key to Great Rodent IPM, presented by Dr. Bobby Corrigan (bugoffpest.wordpress.com)

Bed Bug feeding on human

Today is the start of the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Bed Bug Summit in Washington DC. The government sponsored 2-day event will discuss regulation, research and prevention on a national level for multiple industries. This is the EPA‘s second such conference in two years, as the first was held in 2009 in Virginia.

Bed bug summits have become an event of high demand lately. In September of 2010, the first ever North American Bed Bug Summit took place in Chicago. With a more traditional summit atmosphere, bed bug experts and professionals gathered to discuss the ever-growing problem that continues to plague major cities and small towns across the county. Consider these summits to be the Super Bowls of bed bug extermination.

So what’s in the playbook? ABC News reported the agenda in Chicago consisted of seminars focused on detection and treatment. Vendors from all over the nation were on site with their anti-bed bug products. For example, on display was an air tight bag designed to seal your laundry during travel, after-which dissolves in the washer, eliminating the risk of opening the bag and letting those little critters escape. Seems like a good idea!

If you haven’t experienced bed bugs first hand, count yourself lucky. ABC also reported that at least 5 states have actually solicited help from the Department of Defense, which gives a whole new meaning to “national security”. I would love to be there for that mission. “Lock and load! Weapons are hot!” right before they bust down the doors to little Jimmy’s room and secure the area. We have veterans here in the company, so our respect goes out to all the men and women that keep us safe.

While we do no target bed bugs specifically, we do advise proper prevention and detection before hiring a professional to service your residence. Bed bug sniffing dogs are a unique and effective way to determine the presence and severity of any infestation.  To our Arizona neighbors and businesses, we recommend AJ and his trusty dog Marcie, over at K9 Bedbug Inspections.

Green Pest Control – Dallas TX Conference

Green is the thing especially during Green week. The yellow brick road is now green. Pest control is no different. Green Pest control is the new buzz. But what does it mean? What is green pest control?

Is the pest control company green or are they just “Green Washing” ?

This brings back memories of the 80’s “Light” craze. Everything was going “Lite”, “Light food”, “Lite Beer”, “Lite Cheese”, stick a light label on it and it was hot. It’s the “New and Improved” sells pitch. Or try “No Calories” for water that never had calories. “Fat Free” gelatins, no fat all sugar. “Reduced Fat Mayo” sure you’ve gone down in fat nano grams, but shouldn’t you just skip the mayo all together? We went through and are still suffering from the “Low-Carb” label. From craze, rave, wave, to the grave. The problem with the newest fad is that being new makes it unknown and the results unsure. Fortunately the rage that is worthwhile leaves its everlasting impression. And we believe that green means better, better for you and better for the earth.

“Greener is Cleaner”

The problem still remains, “What is Green Pest Control?”

Unfortunately after day 1 of The Green Pest Management Conference, there is still no concrete answer. Being green is still too new for most of the pest control industry. The best way to say it is that Green comes in shades. There is the “100% Organic group”, the “All Naturals”, and the much looser “Mix and Match”. More of a hybrid approach.

Bulwark’s stance, forget the label and the hype, we know and have always known that the customer wants the most effective and the safest pest control solution. If you label green as using the most effective solution with the least amount of exposure to families, children, pets, water, and the environment then you can label Bulwark Green. Bulwark began its service with an in-wall treatment plan, no baseboard spraying, and using products that had been used and proven in agriculture pest control. Bulwark was one of the first pest control companies to feature EcoSmart products. Bulwark has always been aware of a customers concern about the safety of their family. Bulwark has always tried to do what we feel is best for the environment. Call it what you want. If you ask me, yes were are green, always have been a shade of green,… and a very dark green if you look at the logo…

and getting greener.

Always moving, always improving. Or as our employees have so lovingly phrased it, “Bulwark means Change” … The world is evolving, shouldn’t your pest control?

Bed bugs have become a major concern for pest control companies.  Calls for bed bug service are pouring in around the nation.  The National Management Control Association says they’ve seen a 71% increase in bed bug related calls.  New York reported that bed bug infestations increased 34% during the past year. Where are these bed bugs coming from?  Why are bed bugs on the rise?

Authorities want to point fingers at international travelers.  They believe that individuals traveling abroad bring back the pests in clothes and in suit cases. Travelers within the US may also pick up these pests from hotels that are frequented by international travelers and bring them home. But what’s even more frightening is that idea that these bed bugs are moving out of the bed and into couches, airplanes, and movie theaters! …YIKES!

After a 50 year slump these bugs are back with a vengeance.  And Pest Control companies are perplexed on how to solve the problem.  They don’t fall under general pest control treatments.  Realistically it takes special equipment and several interior treatments to rid a home of bed bugs.  Plus its recommended that residents wash all of their laundry around the same time to kill of any bed bugs that are hiding in clothes. And according to pest control companies that attended the recent EPA: National Bed Bug Summit ,”Residents are a problem and are sometimes unwilling to cooperate or engage in behaviors to manage pests”  ….Residents are a further nuisance because… “Preventative and ongoing inspection is necessary to address the problem, … residents and property managers  do not  cooperate  or do not consider pest inspections to be a priority” The conclusion therefore is that IPM which integrates the residents doesn’t work.

It seems that ultimately those in attendance still don’t have a solid solution for controlling bed bugs.  They made suggestions like “Property managers must be certified pest control operators to treat their own properties.” to ideas like “Pest Control Companies should be certified in bed bugs and there should be a national accrediting body for those pest control operators.”  In the end, the biggest complaint from PCOs was that the EPA has restricted the use of products that use to work for bed bugs. So it seems they believe the only solution using the current products is a program that both the residents and PCOs can work together on and both share some of the burdens of failure or success. Needless to say,  “We need to educate the public” was among the better solutions they came up with at the summit. So at least they all seemed to agree on one thing… There is a Bed Bug Epidemic and that the public needs to know about it.

But don’t worry they plan on holding another Bed Bug Summit to further discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Read EPA’s Full report here: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/ppdc/bedbug-summit/partic-recom.pdf

Bed Bugs 2009 summit was held April 14th.

New bed bug site that proves useful and interesting: www.bugsinmybed.com 1/12/2010

Got Bed Bugs?

Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Control