Flooding: beware of renovation fraud
While the Quebec government plans to pay out $400,000 a day to help flood victims, the Association des microbiologistes du Québec fears that some of this money will go to unscrupulous contractors who make false mold and fungus diagnoses to bilk their customers out of thousands of dollars. Without even carrying out the laboratory tests required for proper diagnosis, contractors with no microbiological expertise take advantage of people’s concerns to defraud them. In addition to paying for possibly unnecessary services, some customers may unknowingly end up with an unresolved contamination problem that could cause health problems. For more information, click here. Source: Association des microbiologistes du Québec
Manitoba Potato Production Days 2017
At Manitoba Potato Production Days 2017, LAB’EAU-AIR-SOL was represented by Ms Sonia Desjardins, Director of Research and Development for the AIR program. Her mission was to inform our neighbors to the west about our agricultural fungal disease detection program. During her visit to the showroom, Ms. Desjardins had the opportunity to record a video describing the various services offered by the AIR program. This video can be found on YouTube as well as on the Spudsmart website, an agricultural information dissemination site. A number of wonderful encounters made this a most fruitful time for the team.
Ottawa bans the use of asbestos
Ottawa will ban the import of asbestos and asbestos-containing products by 2018, following in the footsteps of most industrialized countries. Canada, formerly a world leader in asbestos production, still allows the import of certain asbestos-based products, notably asbestos cement and brake pads. The process of tightening up on asbestos issues seems to have accelerated since the closure of the Jeffrey mine in 2011, the last asbestos mine to operate in Canada. Among other things, in 2013 Quebec amended its Act respecting occupational health and safety and the Safety Code for the Construction Industry to better control the management of asbestos-containing materials in existing buildings and thus ensure the health and physical integrity of workers. In 2015, Health Canada also quietly changed its official position on the dangers of asbestos use to that of the WHO. We no longer distinguish between the hazardousness of different types of asbestos, and we’ve dropped the phrase “asbestos”. if breathed in large quantities “.
Fungal contamination in ventilation ducts
Lab eau-air-sol published an article on fungal contamination in ventilation ducts in the September-October 2016 issue of CLIMAPRESSE magazine (CETAF). This article focuses on the role of ventilation in maintaining good air quality, and on methods for assessing the cleanliness of these systems. For more details: Climapresse, volume 23, issue 5, September-October 2016 http://cetaf.qc.ca/nouvelles-et-evenements/contamination-fongique-ventilation/
Lab’eau-air-sol conference at the Salon de l’agriculture de St-Hyacinthe on January 19
AIR: Fungal disease detection program In-depth investigation of airborne pathogens in your crops is a decision-making tool. It helps you position your interventions and better protect your crops as part of integrated agriculture. Spores are collected in your fields and the analysis report is available within 24 to 48 hours directly on your smartphone, so you can easily find out when your crop is at risk. The results of spore collection analysis and data collected by a weather station installed on your premises make AIR an easy-to-use and effective detection tool. By applying fungicides only during high-risk periods and according to real needs, you can save money by spacing out fungicide sprays, eliminating preventive sprays when the disease is not present in the air, and applying the right type of fungicide for the pathogens present. AIR’s user-friendly interface will ensure simplified decision-making throughout the season. Anytime: see the evolution of pathogens in your fields and access your historical weather data directly on your computer or smartphone. http://salondelagriculture.com/programmation-2017.php Speaker: Sonia Desjardins