WINNIPEG — The city has applied to get approval to use DeltaGard instead of malathion to fog the city. This comes after Health Canada told the city to stop using their current stock of the chemical because it is too old.
“There is no new inventory of malathion for us to purchase,” Ken Nawolsky, insect control with the city said.
READ MORE: City of Winnipeg buys old jugs of mosquito-killing malathion from Saskatchewan
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The city bought the chemical from Saskatchewan in 2003, and the label states it shouldn’t be used after one year. The city said they were not aware the label said this.
“At this time, the city is unable to fog for mosquitos,” Nawolsky said.
RELATED: Winnipeg running low on chemical used against mosquitos
Soil science professor at the University of Manitoba said one of the concerns using the expired product would be how well it works.
“If it’s stored for longer, or if its stored in inappropriate conditions, it means there will be less malathion in the product, and that means the effectiveness will decrease,” Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst said.
The city insists tests have shown the product is still more than 95 per cent effective.
The application could take up to two years to be approved, meaning fogging likely won’t start again until 2017.
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