Robert's Rants
Robert's Rants
A personal blog on the Canadian pesticide industry and other pet peeves and interests

PMRA Tank Inspections: Zero Tolerance

If your not aware or haven’t had the good fortune of a visit, the Regional PMRA enforcement officers are doing on-site inspections at each PCO place of business. This isn’t really a bad thing, hell we get inspected by 5 or 6 different gun-toting, ticket writing folk all the time.  Keeps everyone on our toes […]

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Insect Control 101. Can Logic Prevail? Before I retire?

As usual I have to preface this Rant that I am not advocating anything relating to using a chemical out side of the rules and regulations set forth by the government. When we are forced to put Pictograms on labels for the reading challenged, will it turn out to be 345 pages so we can […]

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PMRA: Do Labels Need to be So Confusing??? Pictograms baby!

This year like every other I get several daily phone calls about what product to use on what insect for what location.  I try not to wince too much when I await the response to “Have you read the Label?”  And don’t tell smile too much when you say “Of course!  I always read the […]

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IPM – cheaper than you think

IPM IPM IPM. Do we really practice it much in Canada?  Not really. Should we?   Certainly. Do we hafta???   Once the insecticides are banned I guess so. Reason this train wreck of thought came up is I was reviewing our products and sales for the year, and one product sticks out like a sore thumb: […]

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How to beat the choppers and slashers

Howdy there price shoppers… Shopping for prices, the occasional Special, buy one get one…all parts of what is known as your Pricing Strategy.  These may be temporary or a buying incentive.  That happens in nearly most industries, based on many different factors. In some Industries the Specials/Discounts become  regular price strategy.  Take the grocery business […]

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A HEADS UP….Marijuana and Greenhouse treatments

I have had hundreds, well 6 so far, of Pest Control dudes asking about this marijuana business and if there is an opportunity there for pest control. Maybe. BUT if you live in Ontario, where the seem to be Production Facilities popping up everywhere, and they’re all stoned in the liberal party, you need to […]

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Pest Control 101 A quick lesson for those regulating the Industry

I’m going to skip with the lesson and go straight to the quiz. Multiple choice, so even our friends in Ottawa (sorry I forgot I don’t have friends there) can pass it. And only 2 questions! Question 1.) You have been asked to do a preventative treatment of a home backing on to the Rouge […]

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Mighty Mites!!!

Here I come to save the day! Mighty Mouse is on the way! Remember Mighty Mouse?  You might if you were born in the 40’s or 50’s.  That was one cool comic character, would kick the butt of those Paw Patrol wimps I tell you. Any…kinda digressed. Back to mites. Rat mites, bat mites, bird […]

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You Wanna New SDS???? Quit your whining and read the LAW!

Okay….so maybe this is a sore spot. The rules, laws, regulations blah blah blah set up around WHMIS 2015, SDS versus MSDS, Global Harmonization and expiry dates are not confusing at all,  if you have the 17 days, 4hours and 37 minutes to read them. BUT… This is actually something that makes sense.  I want […]

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Neonics and pest control…is there an effect?

Okay what brought that on was reading all the posts following a story I read on CBC.ca concerning the PMRA and a just published commentary doc.  Not many times you see the PMRA in the news, surprisingly. The document highlights further restrictions on neonics and allows for a 90 day comment. To be honest I […]

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