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Showing posts from October, 2019

How to cut cost by process analysis

How to cut cost by process analysis THAT costs will indeed rise is the only certain and unambiguous thing in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. Margins are vanishing, driven down by cutthroat price competition, downward price pressure from clients, upward price pressure from suppliers doing business. As a result, companies have become more preoccupied with rather than planning the next great product to sell. Traditional cost- cutting , however, may lead to false economies. Cutting the wrong costs ( e. g . , value- adding activities) may lead to much higher overall costs or losses elsewhere. Rightsizing may actually end up as wrongsizing. Here are five false economies to avoid: • Downsizing the frontline staff to cut costs may inadvertently cut sales. According to a sur...

Tips to manage pests

A series of innovative pest management cours es aimed at fruit growers in the region will start next month. Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE spokesman Duncan Brown said fruit growers would benefit from attending. The courses, in the Department of Primary Industries training room in Cobram, start next Thursday. ‘‘With this information growers can use a range of strategies to maintain control,’’ Mr Brown said. ‘‘The idea is to maintain a more natural balance in the orchid. ‘‘It’s about not fighting nature, but working with nature. ‘‘It is essential for growers to have a good pest management strategy in place. ‘‘We have put together a range of short courses. ‘‘The idea is that if people are interested in a qualification over two-and-a-half years — doing these short courses actually counts towards a Diploma of Production Horticulture.’’ The TAFE and Fruit Growers Victoria have put their heads together to design this course to help orchardists and staff learn the la...

Warning new ways needed to deal with weeds in crops

If weeds and pests in arable crops are to be controlled successfully in the future a whole range of new strategies will have to be employed, speakers at an agronomy conference held yesterday warned. The problem, an audience at Perth Racecourse heard, is two- fold. The range of active chemical ingredients available was reducing as EU approval regulations become more “This problem has spread much more quickly” stringent and weeds and fungal infections were building up resistance to the old chemistry at a sometimes alarming rate. Conference organiser Hutchinsons has 25 agronomy and supply depots across England and Scotland, including a new one at Forfar, and they have noted real problems especially with weeds. John Cussans, of agronomists Niab TAG, said that resistant black grass has now become an established problem on 16,000 farms right up the eastern side of England. He suspected there might be some as yet undetected resistant blackgrass in Scotland and warned ...

Pest control fogging

THE dengue situation in Singapore has worsened even though fogging is being increasingly carried out, especially in my neighbourhood where it is done almost daily in different houses. The routine use of thermal fogging should be banned. Routine fogging is ineffective, gives people a false sense of security, creates pesticide resistance in mosquitoes, destroys their natural predators and increases the toxic load on the environment. For every 10 adult mosquitoes killed by fogging, there are hundreds of others waiting to hatch if the breeding spots are not attended to. Pest control companies should search for and destroy the breeding areas and treat chronically wet areas with BTI insecticide, which uses bacteria to kill mosquito larvae and does not affect the environment. Controlled thermal fogging should be used only when there is an active cluster of dengue or chikungunya in the area, and with approval from the National Environment Agency. This destroys the v...

Scientists seek flea beetles for research

Farmers are being asked to collect samples of adult cabbage stem flea beetles from oilseed rape crops at harvest. Scientists at Rothamsted Research are on the hunt for samples so they can assess levels of both pesticide resistance and parasitisation by natural enemies in the beetles. In return for sending in a sample, the institute will give farmers data for their own area and a measure of how it compares nationally. Patricia Ortega-Ramos, who is conducting the research, said the call for insects was part of a project to determine if a wasp recently discovered to parasitise the beetles might be an effective bio-control agent. She said cabbage stem flea beetle numbers had been rising since the 2013 ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments in oilseed rape, resulting in serious yield losses in some parts of the country. Farmers are also beginning to see resistance to the only control option currently available – pyrethroid sprays. “But there is new hope for control,” sa...

Urge to rethink farm practices

ACCESSING improved predictors of disease, insect and weed infestations, coupled with a greater use of integrated management, are among the key messages agronomists and growers have been advised to take into the coming season, as a result of this year’s Crop Protection Forum. More than 100 industry delegates convened in South Australia, for the one-day forum, with a view to tackling the brewing storm of fungicide, herbicide and pesticide resistance . “There was a clear call for all involved in growing crops to rethink current paddock practices, which sometimes rely too heavily on chemicals for disease , weed and pest control , in favour of more sustainable farming systems,” Centre for Crop and Disease Management co-director and forum chair Professor Karam Singh said. “The reality is that while the industry’s reliance on these chemicals may provide potential short-term economic gains, it is sacrificing their effectiveness in the long-term. We must now look to metho...

Antibiotics, pesticides at risk

RESISTANCE TO antibiotics and pesticides is rising at alarming rates, shows the first estimates of antibiotic and pesticide "planetary boundaries", published in Nature Sustainability. If resistance to antibiotics and pesticides goes beyond these boundaries, societies risk large-scale health and agricultural crises, say the researchers who have assessed the state of six types of resistance— antibiotic resistance in Gramnegative and Gram-positive bacteria; general resistance to insecticides and herbicides; and resistance to transgenic Btcrops and glyphosate resistance in herbicide resistant cropping systems. Gram-negative bacteria, which includes well-known pathogens such as Salmonella, Klebsiella pneumoniae and E coli, are already beyond the "planetary boundary," as some strains of several species are already resistant to all or most antibiotics tested. Pesticide resistance is also an urgent concern, particularly resistance to glyphosate and insecti...

Resistance management – a global problem

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Mark Ross is the chief executive of Agcarm, the industry association for companies which manufacture, distribute and sell crop protection products. Pesticide resistance occurs when there is a shift in the genetics of a pest population that allows individuals to survive. It develops in all agricultural pest groups, and initiates when a very low number of pests survive a pesticide and become resistant . Fortunately, resistance is not yet a significant problem for the majority of New Zealand growers. Although there are pockets of resistant species in some sectors, a wide range of products are effective against pests. Having a range of pesticides available is crucial to managing resistance. Keeping a variety of products available requires manufacturing companies to navigate through a number of hurdles. One major hurdle is the high cost of developing new products, along with high re-registration costs for older pesticides. In New Zealand the process is compounded by the...

WHAT IS PESTICIDE RESISTANCE ?

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Natural and artificial selections Pesticide resistance is the ability of a pest to tolerate a pesticide that once controlled its numbers. Look at Figure 1 below: Figure 1 The use of pesticides is prevalent in all types of agriculture, but particularly so in commercial agriculture. Repeated use of the same class/type of pesticides to control a pest can lead to the promotion of certain characteristics within the population of the pest. When a pesticide is first used, a small proportion of the population may survive the exposure due to some form of variation in their genetic make-up. These individuals then reproduce and pass on the adaptations to the next generation. As the farmer continues to use the pesticide, the proportion of the population of those individuals with the adaptation to survive will increase. In other words, the population of individuals with resistance increases with respect to the population without, and soon only those with the resistance will exist....

solid waste transfer station

A company wants to open a solid waste transfer facility in Yuma, but some residents of the nearby Sunrise Mobile Home Estates aren’t happy about it and plan to object. The Planning and Zoning Commission will consider on Monday a request for a conditional use permit that would allow the facility within 600 feet of a residential zoning district. The meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1 City Plaza. Hydrochem AZ wants to use the property located at 2180 S. Pacific Ave., which is within the Light Industrial District, to operate a solid waste transfer facility . The facility would be used to process non-hazardous waste , as defined by federal regulations, according to a staff report. It would operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and employee 15 people. Pancrazi Real Estate Services, on behalf of RTB Enterprises, is the applicant requesting the permit. The commission will hold the second of two public hearin...

City continues to weigh all options for Grotto station

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PAWTUCKET — The city’s Public Works Director has outlined a litany of options for the future of the Grotto Avenue transfer station, which range from continuing operations, constructing a “ waste-to-energy ” facility, and altogether closing the station and direct hauling waste to the landfill in Johnston. waste to energy financing  In a 54-page memorandum from Public Works Director Eric J. Earls to the City Council, since the last update on the transfer station in June, the Department of Public Works has explored “a number of different alternatives” including continuing operations as a transfer station on Grotto Avenue, construction of a “ waste-to-energy ” facility at the Grotto Avenue site, and closing the station and direct hauling to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation landfill in Johnston. Repairing the existing Grotto Avenue facility would cost between $1.3 million and $2.5 million, according to a 2018 report authored by Fuss & O’...

Energy tax credits

energy efficiency tax credits for businesses There are several federal energy-efficient tax credits available for homeowners who purchase certain ENERGY STAR-certified products. These tax credits are good for geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines, fuel cells and solar energy systems like water heaters and panels. The credit value for these products depends on when these renewable energy systems are installed: ■ 30 percent of the cost for systems placed in service by Dec. 31, 2019 ■ 26 percent of the cost for systems placed in service after Dec. 31, 2019 and before Jan. 1, 2021 ■ 22 percent of the cost for systems placed in service after Dec. 31, 2020 and before Jan. 1, 2022. These products not only qualify you for a tax credit, but also lower your energy consumption and energy bills, further saving you money. In order to claim your tax credit, you need to file IRS Form 5695 with your taxes. Be sure to keep a copy of the Manufacturer’s Certification Stateme...

Bradenton residents to pay more for water and sewer, solid waste removal

What Bradenton residents pay for water and sewer, garbage pickup and other utility services is going up. Rates for water and sewer, as well as for reclaimed water, will go up by 2 percent. Stormwater rates will increase 25 cents a month, and the solid waste rate will increase by 60 cents per month. The Bradenton City Council voted unanimously to raise the rates Wednesday. Public Works director Jim McLellan said the increases will cover operating costs, the cost of health insurance for employees, maintaining operations and the ability to continue the ongoing infrastructure improvement program underway for the past several years. But where residents will see the most change for their additional bucks is in solid waste . The city is looking to phase out its side-arm garbage trucks, which are difficult to fit down small roads and McLellan said have been a “maintenance nightmare.” Instead, McLellan said they will start replacing those trucks with rear-loading ones, wh...

Creating landfill for county’s trash gets serious look

A quartercentury after Ulster County officials abandoned the idea of creating a countywide landfill, there appears to be a new emphasis on finding a local site for the disposal of solid waste . At a Thursday evening meeting of the county’s Solid Waste Planning Commission, members were largely in agreement that the option should be studied next year, followed by engineering reports being conducted over the following four years. County Legislator Manna Jo Greene, though, questioned the timetable. “My biggest concern on this document is that we’re going to be studying things for too many years,” said Greene, R-Rosendale. “I believe ... that we have a year to make a good decision through the feasibility study and figure out [if] we’re going to have more than one [disposal] facility.” The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency currently hauls trash collected in the county to the Seneca Meadows landfill, between Rochester and Syracuse, but that site is expected to c...

Incumbent GOP Ulster lawmaker faces challenge

Veteran Legislator Ken Ronk faces a challenge to his re-election bid from political newcomer Andrew Domenech for the Ulster County Legislature’s District 13 seat. District 13 comprises much of the town of Shawangunk. Ronk, R-Wallkill, a Republican, is seeking a seventh two-year term. He has the GOP, Conservative and Independence party lines on the Nov. 5 ballot. Domenech, a Democrat, holds the Democratic and Working Families party lines. Both men live in the Shawangunk hamlet of Wallkill. Both say protecting the environment is among their top priorities. Domenech said meeting goals for carbon reduction, addressing the county’s solid waste issues and protecting water quality are the chief challenges facing the county. He said he would support plans to address those issues and would work on developing long-term solutions for solid waste disposal and protecting the county’s natural resources. Ronk said his efforts in the county Legislature have helped propel the...

County working to clean up with education, not penalties

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Justin Arnold knew he bought a mess about two years ago, but he was willing to clean it up. Arnold said he bought 2.7 acres next to his mother’s home between Gravette and Sulphur Springs, about 20 miles northwest of Bentonville. The land had fallen into disarray with trash, tires, two old mobile homes and other debris strung across the property, he said. A friend noticed an officer on the property one day and called Arnold, who asked that his phone number be passed along to the officer. That was his initial encounter with the Benton County Environmental Division. Arnold, with the help of friends, cleaned the property, but it took almost two years and cost him between $3,000 and $4,000, he said. The Environmental Division stayed in contact with him, sending photos of what needed to be done. “I didn’t make the mess, but I manned up and cleaned it the best I could,” Arnold said. “I made little bits of progress. The place was trashed, but now I have 3 acres of hay, ...

Where to take old refrigerators near me

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where can i take old refrigerator ? where to take old fridge near me ? Not sure where to take that old refrigerator, air conditioner, water heater or stove? Montgomery County Environmental Services will once again host Appliance Amnesty Weekend, Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 3-5. Montgomery County residents can dispose of old appliances free of charge. Additionally, any DP&L customer (from any county) may bring in a working refrigerator or freezer and earn $50 or bring in any working room air conditioner or dehumidifier and earn $20. Montgomery County Environmental Services offers special disposal programs open to all Montgomery County residents to prevent illegal dumping, promote recycling, and protect soil and waterways from pollution or contamination. Residents can bring their appliances to the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer Facility, where licensed technicians will remove any refrigerant, such as Freon, free of charge . Metal components will be r...

Boston Mountain Solid Waste District

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Cleanup Take approved materials to two places: the Boston Mountain Solid Waste District facility at 11398 Bond Road in Prairie Grove or to the Waste Management Eco-Vista landfill at 11979 Arbor Acres Road in Tontitown. Coleman said the list of materials that will be accepted at no charge includes furniture, carpet, roofing, bricks, sinks and faucets, doors and windows, treated lumber, concrete and insulation. Loads are limited to 4 tons or less, and all loads must be tied down or covered. Participants will need to bring proof of county residency. Carl Gales, chief of staff for County Judge Joseph Wood, said the spring cleanup event set new standards for participation and the volume of material disposed of. Coleman said 352 tons of material were disposed of and 616 vehicles brought material to the cleanup sites. “It really was a good amount of material,” Coleman said. “The spring cleanup was one of our better events as far as tonnage.” No electronic items are i...

Businessman may testify in his EPA case

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Rauch could be a witness in his illegal dumping charges trial.   Steve Rauch faces felony charges in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court of illegal open dumping of solid wastes and illegal operation of a solid waste facility without a license.   Dayton-area businessman Steve Rauch is listed as a possible witness in his upcoming trial on illegal dumping charges. Prominent Dayton-area businessman Steve Rauch is listed as a possible witness in his upcoming trial on illegal dumping charges, and a Rauch manager facing charges may also testify. Rauch, 64, and three of his companies are set to go trial next Tuesday in connection with illegal dumping charges filed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Charges against Rauch operations manager Jennifer M. Copeland are scheduled to be tried starting Monday, court records show. Copeland, 33, is among more than 10 potential witnesses listed for both the defense and the state in the EPA case against Rauch, Be...

Solid-waste Plan

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Solid-waste plan gains judge’s favor An administrative law judge has recommended that Carroll County Solid Waste Authority run its own regional solid-waste district. Carroll County is one of six north Arkansas counties in which an annual $18 fee service for landowners has been levied to pay back the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment for taking over, as a court-appointed receiver, financially troubled Ozark Mountain Solid Waste Management District projects. Leaders in those counties have opposed the fee. The department spent $12.9 million bailing out the district on a landfill and another $1 million cleaning up a tire dump of about 1 million tires. Pulaski County Circuit choose Tim Fox ordered the $18 feeThe state has 18 regional solid-waste districts, funded largely by the state. In recent years, as struggles at Ozark Mountain and other solid-waste districts have prompted the department to disburse funds and take legal action, the department has ended s...