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 label!”

They are complicated, over-written and over-regulated and as such they don’t get read as they should.  MY OPINION (although I find I’m right more often than wrong)

Here’s the solution first,  then followed by some clever support ranting.

Roberts Two (2) Part Label Improvement:

• Reduce the Labeled Sites to 10 at most and make these consistent on EVERY label.  Outside, but not the deck!   Garbage room, broom closets, mud rooms, overhead drop celings with 2’x 36″ tiles only.  Give me a break!
• Remove having to list each and every genus, family, order, species and sub sub-species.    A PMP should be smart enough…heavy emphasis on the “should be” ….to know what is causing call backs or not.  And if a tech rep made the recommendation he should be demoted to the US

Simple Simple.

As I read through a long label this morning I was surprised at how confusing it was.  Long lists or paragraphs of sites and longer (or real short) lists of insects.  But then there are numerous references to “other areas” and “where insects hide”.

What about a label reference to “insect pests such as…blah blah blah”?   Isn’t that an open-ended recommendation where other insects, not specifically mentioned, could be treated?  I could interpret that as all Insecta…such as my arse.

Crack & Crevice Only:  hmmm then  it says one paragraph later “if you see ’em spray ’em!!!”   Like I’m stupid and need to be told that one.  But the product is no longer C&C only.

The PMRA is trying to streamline the use of products, but more so on application nomenclature (definitions) than sites and pests.  Hopefully more extensive.   I hope it isn’t more confusing than we already have.  But why not streamline the whole shebang?  Consolidate the insect pests and sites also, then maybe the more important factors of rate, safety, first aid and disposal might get more attention.

ALSO…The PMRA should not be playing consumer advocate and requiring individual testing on each and every pest.

Have you ever noticed that IMM (Indian meal moth for those of you with less than 2 months of experience) isn’t on some of the permethrin product labels????? Small matter, but it doesn’t work?  Or does it?  Not that I would use it, but what scientific reason exists that an IMM is immune to permethrin?

Or is there a scientific reason, say the lack of substantiating data and submission??????

I am not advocating de-regulation or making the product “too” easy to use, but since everything else is going to pictograms for those that can’t read, we should follow suit…

You could have a Dragnet Label that would include 87 glossy pictures of bugs!   Then people could see the difference between a roach and a stink bug!