Paul Racko
Long Beach Organic, Inc.
http://longbeachorganic.org
Tuesday June 29, 12:00 pm Eastern Time
SOURCE: EcoSMART Technologies
New Revolutionary Pesticide Proven Safe for People and the Environment;
Innovative Product Made of Natural Tree Oils Destroys Wide Range
of
Pests
NEW YORK, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- In a major scientific breakthrough
in man's constant struggle to control common pests and insects, EcoSMART
Technologies, a Nashville-based company, has developed a new pesticide
technology that has proven to be the safest and most effective for people,
animals and the
environment. Initial consumer products will be marketed under the
``Bioganic''(TM) brand.
The unique formulation, made from natural plant and tree oils widely
used as food and cosmetic additives ``Generally Recognized as Safe'' (GRAS)
by the Food and
Drug Administration, combines the killing power of chemical insecticides
with the safety benefits of botanical insecticides. This new technology
destroys ants,
cockroaches, dust mites, flies, wasps hornets and a host of other
common pests. It also economically and effectively controls insects that
attack agricultural crops
and flowers.
``Since the 1940's, we have relied upon dangerous, even carcinogenic
chemicals to protect ourselves from harmful pests, '' said Dr. Murray Isman,
professor of
agricultural entomology and toxicology, University of British Columbia.
``Of all the new pesticide materials we've looked at in the last decade,
EcoSMART's
formulas have the best combination of efficacy and safety.''
EcoSMART formulations were tested for toxicity and found harmless
to the limits of Environmental Protection Agency testing requirements.
Studies also indicate
they are unlikely to persist for very long in the environment,
a problem with many chemical pesticides.
EcoSMART's pesticides are registered with the EPA under the ``biologicals''
division, which classifies reduced-risk pesticides. The company has numerous
patents
pending for its pesticide technology and formulas.
``The present invention is a breakthrough in insect control, providing
a viable alternative to the long existing problems associated with substances
such as neurotoxic
carbamates, organophosphates, pyrethrins, pyrethroids and halogenated
hydrocarbons, all of which are toxic to non-target species and pose environmental
hazards,'' said E. Douglas Grindstaff, CEO of EcoSMART Technologies.
``We believe EcoSMART will forever change the way the world protects
itself from harmful pests,'' Mr. Grindstaff stated. ``The introduction
of our formulas may
well signify the end of synthetic pesticides. When you consider
there are approximately one billion insects for every human being on the
planet, these natural
formulations represent a new frontier -- an historic breakthrough
in our ability to improve the quality of our life everywhere on this planet.''
The long-term effects of
chemical pesticides on future generations and the environment are
still not fully understood. The global market for pesticides is estimated
at $31 billion, with $10
billion of that amount spent in North America. Environmental, health
and governmental organizations worldwide continue to warn about the toxic
effects of
conventional pesticides. Consumer Reports Magazine recently reported
on the harm to children from eating fruits and vegetables sprayed with
unacceptable levels of
some chemical pesticides. The Financial Times of London reported
a U.S. study estimating that pesticide abuse alone accounts for more than
20,000 cancer cases a
year.
EcoSMART's Bioganic(TM) pesticides, which provide quick knockdown,
kill and repellency against most pests, are safe for people, pets, birds
and the
environment. Botanical insecticides previously were used primarily
to attract and repel insects, not to kill them. A chemical pesticide like
DDT, which before its ban
in the U.S. in the early '60s was hailed as a ``cure-all'' for
all types of insect problems, killed birds, fish and bald eagles. In recent
years, pests have become
increasingly resistant to many synthetic compounds. Beginning today,
a Bioganic(TM) aerosol for flying and crawling insects may be ordered by
consumers on the
Internet, at www.bioganic.com. Suggested price is $4.99 per can,
exclusive of shipping and handling. Additional Bioganic(TM) products, including
a contact
aerosol, a wasp/hornet aerosol and a contact dust formulation,
will be available on the Internet and through retail stores later this
year. During the past months,
EcoSMART products have been used by professional pest control operators
around the country.
After seven years of research into plants' natural insect defenses,
EcoSMART Technologies identified a natural highly effective ingredient,
trademarked as
Hexa-Hydroxyl, a blend of uniquely structured plant essential oils,
found in such plants as avocado, basil, cinnamon, tomatoes, cloves, peaches
and grapes. Listed
as GRAS by the FDA, these oils are used to add flavor and aroma
to many food, beverage and cosmetic products such as non- alcoholic beverages,
cakes, candy
sweeteners, gum and lipsticks. Hexa-Hydroxyl differs in its mode
of action from both conventional and natural pesticides on the market by
targeting a key insect
neurotransmitter, octopamine, which regulates the insect's movement,
behavior and metabolism. When Hexa-Hydroxyl is introduced, it blocks the
basic functions of
an insect's octopamine, causing it to die quickly. Mammals, birds
and fish are not affected in the same way since they do not have receptors
for octopamine.
In developing its new pesticide technology, EcoSMART worked with
leading universities and scientists to enhance the performance of plant
essential oils in pest
control. Extensive tests were conducted at the University of California-Riverside,
the University of California-Davis, the University of British Columbia
and the
University of Georgia.
``The results of these studies demonstrate the effectiveness of
our formulation against a broad spectrum of insects and pests,'' Mr. Grindstaff
noted. ``Our non-toxic
pesticide should also be welcomed by millions of consumers who
suffer allergic reactions from synthetic pesticides or from other irritants
caused by dust mites, which
now can be safely eradicated.''
EcoSMART Technologies has benefited from the expertise of a highly
skilled scientific panel. Among the scientists are Dr. Joel Coats, entomology/toxicology,
Iowa
State University; Dr. Essam Enan, toxicology, University of California-Davis;
Dr. Murray Isman, agricultural entomology and toxicology, University of
British
Columbia; Dr. Andrew Kende, chemical-nerve receptor interaction;
Donald Reierson, urban entomology, University of California-Riverside;
and Rod Bradbury,
analytical chemistry and formulations, Eco-Safe Technologies, Vancouver,
British Columbia.
SOURCE: EcoSMART Technologies