Rentokil Initial plc (LON:RTO) Stock Rating Reaffirmed by BNP Paribas The Cerbat Gem Rentokil Initial plc is a commercial pest control company. The Company is engaged in the provision of route-based services, which protect people and enhance lives. The Company's segments include Europe, UK & Rest of World, Asia, North America, Pacific, ... |
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Rentokil Initial plc (LON:RTO) Stock Rating Reaffirmed by BNP Paribas - The Cerbat Gem
Whether theres too much or not enough water in your customers pipes, both have pest consequences that can be prevented.
Of course, where there are plumbing problems there is potential for pest problems. Leaks offer standing water to rodents, and clogged, scummy drains are breeding sites for flies. On the other hand, drains and pipes without water can also lead to pest problems when those spaces are used for movement and harborage. Recognizing and addressing these conditions can help you to eliminate pest problems at the source and avoid expensive callbacks.
FINDING THE SOURCE. With limited service time at an account, rapid inspection techniques can help to quickly locate areas of actual or potential pest activity, leading to quicker treatment and resolution of the problem. Efficient inspections include simultaneous targeted and generalized evaluation of the site.
Targeted inspections can be thought of as a top-down approach and involve interpretation of monitoring information. What pests are present on glueboards, insect light traps and pheromone traps during your visit? Many pests are predictable in their food source, and thus their breeding sites. By accurately identifying the pest and knowing a little about its biology (or reading about it in one of the many industry manuals), we can form a hypothesis about the type of breeding conditions that must be present for that pest to be found. I think of this like a mental matching game, connecting a pest to its preferred habitat.
Generalized inspections are the opposite: working bottom-up to identify conducive conditions and thinking about what pests could breed there. This is a way of viewing accounts that can be easily improved through training, and does not require the same sort of biological memorization needed for targeted inspections. An easy way to find standing water under equipment is to use your flashlight at a low angle to the floor. Relative to our topic, Pests of the Pipes, lets break this down into two categories:
TOO MUCH WATER. Water is one of the three key items that a pest needs to survive. For many pests, water is what puts food sources into a form that is accessible for pest feeding. For instance, dry crumbs on the floor are not attractive to fly larvae. However, add water and time for decomposition, and that is now a suitable food source for flies. Despite the importance of water, many sources are easily overlooked during inspections. By thinking about where water comes from and where it can collect, we can speed up our inspection time. Here are some common places to find pest-breeding water:
TOO LITTLE WATER. In contrast to excess water facilitating pest development, a lack of water in some pipes can provide harborage for pests and requires the addition of water. To understand why, lets take a quick look at plumbing traps.
If you have ever looked under the sink, you are familiar with a plumbing trap; that U-shaped pipe that (typically) changes the flow of water from vertical to horizontal. The main function of the trap is to create a water seal that prevents odors and harmful sewer gasses from escaping into the structure. Each time the drain is used, fresh water replaces standing water in the trap, maintaining a permanent seal.
A benefit of this design is that it deters pests from using pipes to move within or between buildings. Yes, cockroaches and rodents (especially rats) can overcome plumbing traps by crawling through a small amount of water, but regularly-used drains are less likely to harbor pests.
Problems with trap seals occur when drains are infrequently used and water evaporates over time, or if drains are clogged with debris. Floor drains in locations that do not wet mop floors, in production areas with lots of small spilled items, or drains near a deep fryer are susceptible to drying out.
ELIMINATING THE SOURCE. For every problem identified above, there is a solution to eliminate conducive conditions. While the responsibility for addressing any particular issue may belong to the building manager, pest professionals can provide add-on services that remove breeding sites and can halt pest activity.
A targeted inspection near a source with adult and nymph roaches and a cockroach egg parasitoid (ensign wasp).YOUR SAFETY. The most alarming response I see to pests of the pipes is the off-label use of pest strips. These products, which slowly release vapor from a resin plastic block, can be used in confined spaces where people will not be present for more than four hours. Most pest strips come in two sizes (16 grams or 65 grams), and are designed to treat 100 to 1,200 cubic feet for up to four months (1,200 cubic feet is equivalent to a room that measures 10 by 15 by 8 feet). Yet these devices have been placed near the drain in an open area where people are working all day, sometimes in numbers that far exceed the designated application rate. Because these devices are easily available at Big Box stores, site managers are often the ones responsible for this misapplication. Effort is needed to educate personnel that this type of treatment is illegal [off-label], dangerous, and ineffective.
A second, and similar educational opportunity for pest professionals is to inform site management that pouring bleach and/or hot water down the drain will not eliminate pest activity. These treatments do not remove the organic debris that sustains pest populations in drains.
SUMMARY. Pest problems in commercial settings can arise for several reasons, but the close link between preferred sites and water can increase inspection and treatment times to identify and address a problem. Technicians should be familiar with common water sources, and identify these as part of the generalized inspection. When dealing with a particular pest, targeted inspections that aim to identify the breeding site should be undertaken. In most cases, conducive conditions can be addressed or eliminated through sanitation, leading to long-term control and reduced callbacks.
The author is a pest management specialist in the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. Contact him at mfrye@gie.net.
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Pests of the Pipes - PCT Magazine
CASTLE ROCK A pest control company has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Town of Castle Rock because of a 7 p.m. curfew for door-to-door sales.
I was just cleaning up from dinner, said Kristen Gerstner, a Castle Rock mother who was about to put her daughter to bed when the doorbell rang, despite the no soliciting sign on her front porch. Its hard to say no to them most of the time.
Utah-based pest control company Aptive Environmental is suing the Town of Castle Rock for adopting a 7 p.m. curfew for commercial solicitors, while not applying the same curfew to other groups such as charities or religious institutions.
There has to be a balancing test between what the government wants and what the business wants, said David Beller, a legal analyst for Denver7. In any case like this, its a very close call.
Beller said businesses do have First Amendment protections, but they are different from individuals, and the government also has a right to protect its citizens from harassment.
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Pest company sues Castle Rock over solicitation curfew - The Denver Post
California citrus growerswill soon get help from the State to stop a devastating plant disease threatening residential and commercial citrus trees.
Governor Brown signed the 2017 Budget Act this week and authorized $10 million in general funding to prevent the spread of the invasive insect Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the deadly and incurable plant disease it can carry, Huanglongbing (HLB).
California Citrus Mutual applauds Governor Brown and members of the California Legislature for recognizing the severity of this issue to not only the states citrus growers, but to the California economy and the many homeowners who enjoy citrus trees in their backyards, says Joel Nelsen, president of the citrus growers trade association California Citrus Mutual (CCM).
We know from what has happened in Florida that there are real and lasting economic consequences if HLB is allowed to take hold, continues Nelsen. California citrus is a $3.6 billion industry and supports over 22,000 jobs all of which could be lost if HLB is not stopped.
California is the largest fresh-market citrus producing region in the world and one of few areas that have not been affected by HLB, but that could change if HLB is allowed to spread. To-date, the disease has been found in 73 backyard citrus trees in the Los Angeles Basin, triggering quarantines in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
HLB is spreading at an alarming rate, and the addition of state funds will provide critically needed resources to help protect all citrus trees and prevent HLB from devastating the states vibrant citrus industry, concludes Nelsen.
The state funds will augment the nearly $25 million currently spent each year by commercial citrus growers for pest detection and eradication, including the release of beneficial insects for biological control of ACP, in residential areas and ongoing public outreach and education.
In 2009, the citrus industry created the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program and authorized a mandatory assessment paid by growers that raises $15-18 million per year on average. All funds are directed toward urban areas, where an estimated 6 in every 10 residents has at least one citrus tree in their yard.
CCM would like to thank the following legislators for their support of the California citrus industry and acknowledge their efforts to secure state funding to address this critical issue: Senators Richard Roth (D-Riverside), Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton), Andy Vidak (R-Hanford), and Jean Fuller (R-Visalia) and Assembly Members Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Devon Mathis (R-Visalia), Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), Marc Levine (D-Marin), and Bill Quirk (D-Hayward).
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Governor Brown Authorizes State Funds to Help Stop Deadly Citrus Disease - Valley Voice
Rockwall County commissioners have taken another step to deal with issues that shut down the west wing of the Rockwall County Detention Center about six months ago.
County Judge David Sweet and commissioners Cliff Sevier and Lee Gilbert the only members of the court present for the Tuesday meeting voted to seek bids for a mold remediation project and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) replacement in the wing.
Mold in ductwork forced closure of the detention centers west wing about six months ago. The west wing normally houses 48 prisoners. Inmates have been transferred to Henderson County jail facilities on an as needed or overflow basis.
County Auditor Lisa Constant Wyle told commissioners Tuesday that an architect hired by the county had drawn up documents for the bids process.
County Maintenance Director Barry Compton is hopeful that going out for separate bids will work best from a time standpoint.
He told commissioners of how he would like both projects to flow:
It looks like what were going to hopefully be able to do is have the HVAC contractor do the demolition they need to do and in the time frame theyre waiting for their equipment it should be ordered when we give them the go-ahead therell be a window there while theyre waiting on equipment. That window is when we do the mold remediation and, hopefully, by the time thats done, we have HVAC equipment to have installed.
He also told commissioners about plans for better exhaust fans to test for humidity.
The better design, he said, involves exhaust fans bringing in fresh air and taking air out, which is why we had the mold issue, according to the reports.
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Commissioners work to reopen west wing of county jail - Commerce Journal
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AUSTIN (KXAN) Its one step forward and two steps back for the Austin Police Department and its shuttered DNA lab. According to a new city memo, mold was recently discovered on DNA samples dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s at an evidence storage facility.
The department originally found out about the mold on April 25, 2017 when Signature Science, a lab that the city has contracted to conduct DNA analysis as its lab remains closed, notified them that at least one sexual assault kit sent to their lab seemed to have mold on it. The paperwork that arrived with the cases was also described as being damp.
The following day, an inspection of the evidence warehouse walk-in refrigerator revealed mold on some boxes in the back of the cooler. According to the memo, none of the evidence in this particular walk-in cooler had been tested and, therefore, had never been considered as DNA evidence in the deliberation of any case already adjudicated.
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore said that while this development is concerning, it does not affect any current or active prosecutions.
As weve gotten the facts about the situation, were not alarmed. Right now, there really isnt any need to consider this something thats a debacle or a catastrophe in any way. There is no present impact on any cases in this office, said Moore.
The walk-in refrigerator in question is different than the storage freezer that broke last year.
An audit revealed of the 1,629 cases inspected, 780 had no visible mold and 849 had some signs of mold.
APD says they immediately hired a company to seal all seams on the outside of the refrigerator on May 3 to prevent moisture from entering. The department also installed a dehumidifier on June 2 to bring the humidity level down.
On June 21, Signature Science notified APD that no issues were observed with the samples processed from the case originally reported to have mold.
While APD says they were starting remediation efforts with recommendations from the DPS Capital Area Lab Section Manager to address the mold found on the cases, they have placed it on hold pending further research on mold remediation. A nationwide request has been sent out seeking information on the best way to address the mold issue.
Advocates for sexual assault survivors in Austin and Travis County say this is just another hit to the process, and the publics trust in the process, after the problems last year at the APD DNA lab.
The DNA lab is one piece of a very long system that victims have to navigate in order to seek any kind of justice after a sexual assault, explained Emily LeBlanc, the co-chair of the Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team, or SARRT. My initial reaction, of course, is concern primarily for how this affects the publics confidence in the process and potential victims willingness to come forward.
LeBlanc says Texas has a sexual assault reporting rate of only about nine percent.
Very few sexual assaults get reported to law enforcement to begin with, and when they do, its often years before they reach the prosecution stage. We tend to see victims drop out of that process along the way because of how difficult that is. So, putting one more barrier in an already lengthy, difficult, heart-wrenching process for victims of a really horrible crime, is likely to make that reporting number go down.
The mold discovery, LeBlanc says, is a symptom of a larger problem.
We have a justice system that allowed kits to sit and crimes go un-prosecuted since the 90s, and those seem to be the kits that seem to be affected by this most recent development, LeBlanc said.
She argues that something needs to be done.
Whatever we can do to restore the publics confidence, to be as transparent as possible, and to really process that evidence as quickly as possible so that we dont see a three-year delay from the time someones assaulted to the time that case is taken to prosecution, the better off were going to be and the safer were going to be as a community.
Survivors of sexual assault looking for information and resources, including legal aid, can call 1-844-303-7233 (SAFE).
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Mold found on hundreds of APD DNA samples - KXAN.com
SPARTANBURG CO., S.C. (WSPA) Over the last two years weve reported many times about the on-going mold issues at the Spartanburg County Courthouse.
Now that building has some company.
New testing confirms elevated levels of mold in two county owned buildings across the street.
In some cases, samplers found the worst kind of mold. We looked into what the county is doing about it:
The county showed us work that was underway in 180 Library street. An open air return, one of several spots slated for cleanup by the mold reports. The first one was done by JMAC Environmental, and the second, an air sample done by ECS Southeast.
I cant say I was surprised, said Murray Glenn, the Solicitors Spokesman, when he heard about the elevated mold levels.
Glenn recalls how his whole office was forced to move out of the Spartanburg County Courthouse for 5 weeks last year during the mold remediation.
Last summer it was my office, round two which was several months ago was directly across from me, he said.
And round three, was this month in his satellite office across the street from the courthouse.
Air quality test results show slightly elevated levels of spores right near Glenns office. The testing was even done after blackened vents were replaced, and some parts of the building underwent air scrubbing.
Well that remains to be seen. Were going to certainly investigate and follow the ongoing study and procedures with very high interest to make sure our employees are safe, said Peter OBoyle.
On the same block as that building, the Department of Juvenile Justice building also came back with slightly elevated levels of mold. One of the offices even had Stachybotrys (or black mold) in the air which can be toxic.
At both buildings, the county says it has followed all the recommendations of the mold reports with attempts to fix water leaks as well as clean air vents.
It is important to note, most of the rooms in those two buildings showed normal, not elevated, levels of mold spores. But at issue is whether clean-up that was done before air tests (some air scrubbing, and installation of new vents) should have been done after to get a more accurate reading.
The county says it followed the protocol of the testing companies. If taxpayers approve the building of a new courthouse this fall, all of the offices in these two buildings will be relocated to the new facility according to the countys Judicial Strategic Plan.
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Greenville County Council voted earlier this month on a $10 fee increase to car tags where they money would help maintain roads.
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Spartanburg County dealing with another mold issue - WSPA.com - WSPA.com
Pima County has been awarded a three-year, $1.7 million grant for lead paint abatement and other home safety repairs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Work funded by the grant will start in 2018 federal fiscal year.
About $1.5 million will be used to identify and remove lead hazards from an estimated 100 homes primarily in Ajo, the Flowing Wells area and the city of South Tucson. The areas were selected based on their large populations of low-income households with children, and concentrations of homes built before 1978.
Molly Hilber, the lead grant writer for this project, said the program will mostly target homes in these areas with children under the age of 6. The funding will also assist residents of Pima County who live outside the city of Tucson, which received a similar lead abatement grant from HUD in spring 2016.
The grant provides an additional $150,000 to help remove other household hazards in the selected areas. Potential items covered under the healthy homes funding include asbestos and mold removal, repairing broken handrails or steps, and removing other trip hazards.
Some of the funding will also be used for educational purposes.
Marcos Ysmael, the manager of the Pima County Housing Program, the department leading this project, said they are hoping to provide special safety trainings.
We are going to be promoting education for both homeowners and renters, as well as landlords, rental properties and contractors who will be working on these properties and may not be aware of all the hazards that could be present in these homes, he said.
Pima County will collaborate with several different local organizations to implement each part of the program.
Outreach and research will be done by The Southwest Fair Housing Council and the Sonoran Environmental Research Institute, which will assist Spanish-speaking communities and focus on outreach during community events.
The International Sonoran Desert Alliance and the Desert Senita Community Health Center will work to inform qualifying households in the Ajo area about this program. ISDA will undergo special training and will be responsible for conducting abatement in Ajo, under the supervision of Pima Countys Department of Community Development and Neighborhood Conservation.
Participating households will be able to have their children tested for lead through community health organizations including El Rio Community Health Centers, mobile nursing care services provided by the Pima County Health Department and Desert Senita Community Health Center, according to Hilber.
Lead poisoning in children can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties and a host of other serious health problems. Lead can be found in the paint of older homes, older water pipes and faucets, and in some toys manufactured outside of the United States.
I think every parent wants what is best for their children, but there are some very real barriers that make it difficult to get their homes assessed for lead hazards, she said. We hope to remove some of those barriers with this program so any child in Pima County can have access to a healthy home.
This is the first grant of its kind to be awarded to Pima County. This year HUD awarded $127 million in lead-abatement grants to 48 different agencies across the nation.
We dont always have the funding for lead abatement or to address these hazards in other properties, Ysmael said. This funding will allow us to be able to do that and hopefully we will get others involved, other partners and additional funding so we can keep this going.
To learn more about the program, call 724-8562.
Jamie Verwys is a University of Arizona journalism student who is an apprentice at the Star. Contact her at metro@tucson.com.
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County gets $1.7M HUD grant to rehab lead-tainted homes - Arizona Daily Star
Landscaping is about more than just planting a few flowers and bushes around your pool. It's about planning and creating a pool environment thats easy to get to and hard to leave. Your first step is to get inspired. It can be a movie, a native flower or a planter you just couldnt resist. You can also find inspiration from different gardening styles. Just find ideas you love and build from there.
Next, design yourdeckand plan yourwalkways. After the pool itself, your deck is the foundation for your landscape design. Walkways are important, too you want to make access to your pool area easy so your plants dont get trampled.
Now its time to start planting! Youll want to choose plants that will flourish in your geographic area, so check with your local nurseries before you buy. You can also enlist the help of a professional landscape designer. Either way, it helps to know the lingo and the common pitfalls to avoid.
A great way to accent those plants is withedging. This keeps plants and grass from overflowing onto paths and driveways. This can be done with a variety of materials from concrete to plastic.
You may also need to add mulch or topsoil to your backyard pool area. Not sure how much you need? Check out ourmulch/topsoil calculatorto figure out the exact amount.
Anirrigation systemcan help keep your pool area looking its best. You want to balance water conservation while providing enough water for your area to flourish. There are different irrigation systems available depending on your needs.
With the right information, inspired ideas and, perhaps, a fabulous landscape designer, youre on your way to creating a lush and beautiful environment that adds depth and color to your back yard and more enjoyment to your pool. Love your view as much as you love your pool! For even more inspiredlandscaping tipsand backyard ideas, visitwww.americaslandscapers.com.
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Phoenix Business Journal | Arizona pool builder heats up industry top 50 list, splashing into 2nd place Phoenix Business Journal The company sold its six pool supply stores to Leslie's Poolmart Inc., a specialty swimming pool supplies retailer, in 2012. Gilbert-based Presidential Pools, Spas and Patio and Chandler-based California Pools & Landscape also landed among the top 10 ... |
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Arizona pool builder heats up industry top 50 list, splashing into 2nd place - Phoenix Business Journal
