March 17, 2009: The conference has been officially announced. For additional conference details, agenda, etc., see this post.
We have just received information, from our one and only contact at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that EPA is set to hold a public meeting on bed bugs on April 14 in Washington, DC.
We think this is a watershed event. The public health interest is clear and can no longer be ignored. No more dithering about bed bugs and their public health importance. This attention is utterly warranted and, in fact, overdue.
As we recently discovered, bed bugs are deemed a pest of significant public health importance under federal law. Yes, you did read that correctly. It is perhaps a little known fact but it is so.
Our public health agencies and all relevant stakeholders must exchange information and coordinate resources, gather the smartest people in the same room and work out a plan, a coordinated plan, to develop efficient eradication protocols and identify the best practices that will rid our cities and towns of this ruinous public health pest.
The meeting at EPA will have teleconference/webinar capability. We look forward to seeing everyone participate. Our local health departments and our state health and agriculture agencies must share in this process and actively work to find solutions to our bed bug problems. (From our perspective, this is a chance for DEC to redeem itself. Let’s hope they rise to the task.)
These pages may be of related interest:
- EPA’s National Bed Bug Summit April 14-15: announcement and conference details
- EPA National Bed Bug Summit update: change of venue
- Bed Bugs are a Pest of Significant Public Health Importance
- Stop Bedbugs DC: a bed bug summit to start the dialogue to end the bed bugs
- Beating Bedbugs guides from Greater London Pest Liaison Group
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Absolutely warranted and yet absolutely thrilling. How wonderful!
Hello! -We have this terrific problem, here in Verdun, Qc.;;although the politicians will NOT admit it!!
Here is a small tip:: spread baking soda, around the perim-
eters of all your beds, sofas, couches, etc…particularly white sofas.
This magic stuff, not only reasonable, cuts off their breathing resources. Good luck. -G. S. -Canada
Hello Geoffrey,
I have not seen any suggestion or study that baking soda is good against bed bugs, although it is hard to conceive of anything that would be as safe. I hope you will read about other dusts that are considered effective. There was a recent article that we discussed here on the effectiveness of several desiccant dusts. You can read the results and see the article itself.
A note, however, if you do consider these dusts, in particular DE (diatomaceous earth) which is inexpensive and easily available, you should consider only the type of DE that is suitable for insect control, frequently labeled as a pest control product or as freshwater DE (sometimes described as food-grade but just as frequently laced with other products that make it problematic to say, ‘get food-grade DE’ — hence insect control DE). Other types of DE, like pool filter DE, are inappropriate and dangerous.
Best wishes in your bed bug fight.