News Releases
Leader in botanical pesticide technology provides pest management professionals with the green products consumers want
EcoSMART Technologies offers effective green pest control that is proven to work
ATLANTA, Ga. (Feb.25, 2008) — As the availability of green products continues to grow at exponential rates, so too does the confusion faced by consumers over how best to 'green' their homes. When it comes to pest control however, one leader in the green market is gaining consumer confidence: Atlanta-based EcoSMART Technologies. With its broad reach of products, EcoSMART has been meeting the needs of environmentally-conscious markets with innovative, university tested botanical pesticides since 1999, long before 'green' was in vogue.
EcoSMART's patented botanical technology includes a complete line of interior and exterior products for pest management professionals (PMPs), helping them to provide and promote an authentic green service program. Proven efficacy, broad spectrum activity, minimal environmental and mammalian toxicity, and competitive pricing characterize all of EcoSMART's botanical pesticide products.
“It was clear to us at the very beginning that for EcoSMART to help PMPs succeed, we needed to provide them with a truly unique technology that was easy to use, did not require special training or equipment, was economical and, most importantly, worked as well as conventional products at a comparable price,” says Steve Bessette, founder and president of EcoSMART. “We only make green products, and we’ve invested years of research and development in them. We're working hard to help promote positive change from within the industry by providing viable botanical alternatives that more and more consumers are demanding,” he notes.
University and field testing, and the oversight of a highly credentialed scientific advisory board have helped EcoSMART to ensure the efficacy of its commercial products, which can be used to manage a wide variety of pest problems. The company was the first to put effective, environmentally-friendly green tools in the hands of PMPs, helping them at a time when conventional alternatives such as chlorpyrofos and diazinon were being removed from their tool boxes by the EPA.
EcoSMART's unique formulations contain a proprietary blend of plant oils that work by blocking the octopamine receptor in a broad spectrum of insects, resulting in paralysis, quick knockdown and kill, with residual protection that is comparable to conventional insecticides. The technology is innovative, and works quite differently from older botanical solutions that harness ingredients such as d-limonene, borates, pyrethrin or diatomaceous earth.
EcoSMART's commercial line includes EcoEXEMPT® Minimum-Risk products which qualify as exempt from federal registration and are compliant with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. The performance and application costs are comparable to conventional pesticides, and the products have a pleasant botanical fragrance.
Its EcoPCO® Products provide the same benefits as conventional pesticides in terms of efficacy (knockdown/kill and residual protection), ease of use, application costs, and fragrance (unscented), but with the benefits of a botanical active blend.
“Our biggest challenge is building consumer awareness,” says Bessette. “With the growing trend towards greener products in the US, we're going to see consumers ask their PMPs for greener insecticides to use in their homes and businesses. That's going to help PMPs develop a profitable niche that will continue to grow over time,” he states. “Someday soon, botanical products like EcoSMART's will be mainstream.”
Designed for the professional pest management market, EcoSMART's line of interior and exterior products are utilized in a variety of markets, including food processing, health care, hospitality, food service, schools and government. EcoSMART also manufactures products for use in the agricultural, animal health, industrial/institutional and retail markets.
EcoSMART Technologies appoints new commercial vice president
Guy Russell to steer commercial division for leading botanical pesticide company
ATLANTA, Ga. (Jan.22, 2008) — Effective immediately, EcoSMART Technologies is pleased to announce the appointment of Guy Russell as the new vice president of its commercial division. EcoSMART Technologies is a world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils.
Russell became EcoSMART's national sales director in 2007, and will now manage the professional, animal health, janitorial/sanitation, institutional and industrial market sectors for this rapidly expanding botanical pesticide company. A seasoned management executive, Russell's expertise lies in sales, marketing and advertising, and in the creation and maintenance of highly motivated and successful teams.
EcoSMART's patented formulations are derived from plant oils that harness nature's own defenses against insects and other pests. The company's technology and substantial product range is utilized by professional pest management service companies nationwide, as well as in the agricultural and industrial/institutional markets.
EcoSMART's commercial division offers a complete line of interior and exterior products that are extremely effective against a broad spectrum of insect pests, and provide both quick knockdown and control. Unlike botanicals of the past, EcoSMART's products also provide residual protection comparable to conventional pesticides. Proven efficacy, broad-spectrum activity, lowest environmental and mammalian toxicity, and competitive pricing characterize all of EcoSMART's botanical pesticide products. The global pesticide market is estimated to be about $32 billion.
“I'm delighted with the opportunity EcoSMART has given me,” said Russell. “As the green market continues to expand, we are finding demand widening for our products in a range of commercial markets. We're particularly well placed to respond with botanical solutions, and I am dedicated to promoting EcoSMART's capabilities in 2008 and beyond,” he stated.
Steve Jiracek joins EcoSMART Technologies
New technical director of agriculture to manage field trials for environmentally safe pesticide company’s agricultural division
ATLANTA, Ga. (Dec.06, 2007) — EcoSMART Technologies is pleased to introduce Steve Jiracek as the new technical director of agriculture, effective immediately. EcoSMART Technologies is the world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils.
Jiracek will work closely with Steve Stringer, vice president of the agricultural division, in setting up, monitoring and summarizing field research trials for EcoSMART, with additional sales responsibilities in the Northwest. The company's breakthrough technology offers powerful solutions to the problems of chemical toxicity and pest resistance, and is the first to provide an effective alternative to synthetic pesticides. Ideal for commercial and organic growers, EcoSMART Crop Protection minimum risk products are USDA National Organic Program (NOP) compliant and OMRI listed.
Prior to joining EcoSMART, Jiracek worked as a sales representative for W.A. Cleary in the Pacific Northwest area. He holds a BSc in Forestry and a Masters degree in Entomology from Oklahoma State University, and has extensive experience as an arborist and an entomologist.
“We're delighted to welcome Steve Jiracek to the team,” said Stringer. “Coupled with his sales and customer service knowledge, Steve's experience in the fertilizer and pesticide industry makes him ideally suited to focusing on our need for well documented field trials,” he noted.
EcoSMART's patented formulations are derived from plant oils that harness nature's own defenses against insects and other pests. EcoSMART's agricultural division offers a complete line of broad-spectrum products that provide quick knockdown and control. Proven efficacy, broad-spectrum activity, lowest environmental and mammalian toxicity and competitive pricing characterize all of EcoSMART's botanical pesticide products. The global pesticide market is estimated to be $30 billion.
The company's agricultural line includes EcoTrol® EC, a broad-spectrum, contact insecticide/miticide; Matran® EC, a contact, nonselective, broad-spectrum, foliar herbicide; Sporan® EC, a fungicide that destroys the cell membranes of fungal hyphae and spores and EcoTrol® G, a granular soil insecticide.
“I am very pleased to join such an outstanding company as EcoSMART,” said Jiracek. “The timing for organic pesticides in agriculture is perfect. The future of this industry in organics is growing and I want to be a part of that,” he stated.
Roundtable to educate pest control industry about botanical alternatives
Green technology changing the face of pest management in U.S.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Apr.18, 2007) — A cutting-edge roundtable event organized by Atlanta-based EcoSMART Technologies will examine green solutions to commercial and residential pest control in the United States. Co-hosted by Pest Control Technology magazine, the May 3-4, 2007, event at the Doubletree Hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta, will feature key decision makers and influencers in the pest management industry, including researchers, distributors and companies like Terminix, Orkin, Arrow and Northwest.
EcoSMART Technologies, the world leader in botanical pest solutions, is leading the trend toward the use of botanical products to control insects in commercial and residential environments. By sharing ideas and insights with participants at this exclusive roundtable event, EcoSMART will help companies explore ways in which they can grow their residential and commercial business by using green alternatives to conventional chemicals.
As awareness about the benefits of natural and organic products continues to increase, so, too, do opportunities for pest control companies looking to enter this growing market. According to The Natural Foods Merchandiser, natural products sales in the United States grew 9.1 percent across all retail sales channels in 2005, reaching $51 billion. Consumers who have already embraced the concept of organic foods are beginning to scrutinize the choices they make for their families, fueling demand for nontoxic products that are safe to use around children and pets in homes and gardens.
“EcoSMART is the right company, with the right products, at the right time,” said Steven Bessette, the company's founder and president. “Our proven technology harnesses nature's own defenses against insects and is a cost-effective solution for residential and commercial pest control. We want to share our extensive knowledge with industry leaders so that they can recommend botanical alternatives to their customers with confidence,” he added.
The roundtable event will include presentations of data from two pest control companies that have tested the effectiveness of EcoSMART's botanical products. Western Exterminating, based in Anaheim, Calif., undertook a two year field study to evaluate the effectiveness, cost and customer satisfaction of “alternative” products, while Middleton Lawn & Pest Control, based in Orlando, Fla., evaluated the effectiveness of mosquito misting systems using an Environmental Protection Agency exempt product to control mosquito populations.
EcoSMART's technology is available for use in residential and commercial pest control programs, as well as in homeowner lawn and garden products such as Green Light Bioganic® and misting systems for mosquitoes and flying insects. For dogs and cats, EcoSMART partners with Sergeant's Sentry Natural Defense for private label flea and tick control products.
Derived from plant oils, EcoSMART products contain active ingredients that work by blocking the octopamine receptor - a neurotransmitter unique to insects - which regulates metabolism, movement and behavior. As an insect's nervous system is paralyzed, its heart rate increases and death occurs in seconds.
The media are invited to attend this important roundtable event to find out more about integrated pest management and botanical pest control. For more information, contact Jen Marshall at (303) 449-2108, ext. 18, or jen@freshideasgroup.com
Residential misting systems go 'green' in fight against bugs
Safe to use around children, pets and ponds, EcoSMART Technologies' new botanical insecticide revolutionizes home pest control
Atlanta, Ga. (Mar.28, 2007) — Homeowners concerned about the effects of using chemical pesticides in their automatic misting systems can breathe easy this bug season. EcoSMART Technologies, the world leader in botanical pest control solutions, has launched a new, minimum-risk misting concentrate to control flying insects that is safe for use around children, pets and waterways. EcoEXEMPT® MC, which contains food-grade ingredients and is compliant with the National Organic Program, is the first and only mosquito misting product proven effective in field testing conducted by professionals in both Texas and Florida.
One such test was conducted by Middleton Lawn and Pest Control in Orlando, Fla., where EcoSMART MC was found to reduce mosquito populations by 80 percent or more in three days or less. It is proven effective against mosquitoes, gnats, flies and other flying insects, and can be applied to tank and tankless misting systems.
“We recognize that many homeowners want to move away from toxic, chemical pesticides and use products that are environmentally friendly, safe to use around their family and cost-effective,” said Steve Bessette, EcoSMART's president and founder. “Insect misting systems are a relatively new concept in homes, but as more states enact neighbor notification laws to protect the public from conventional pesticides used on residential properties, the more the need for safe, proven alternatives will increase,” he noted.
Most misting systems fitted in residential buildings use natural pyrethrum or synthetic pyrethroids such as permethrin to control flying insects. While pyrethrum is technically “natural”, pyrethrum products are not food-grade and therefore require registration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Natural pyrethrum is also highly toxic to fish, and can not be used around bodies of water such as ponds. Synthetic pyrethroids have exposure risks and are even more toxic to fish than natural pyrethrum.
Unlike conventional pesticides, EcoEXEMPT MC is considered a “minimum risk” pesticide by the EPA, and it is therefore exempt from EPA's registration process. EcoEXEMPT MC is made from botanical oils approved as food additives by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and they can be used around waterways. EcoEXEMPT MC is also less expensive than pyrethrum-based products which require a high percentage of pyrethrum in the active ingredient, even when diluted. EcoEXEMPT MC provides all the benefits of conventional pesticides in a safe, botanical package.
EcoSMART's patented formulations harness nature's own defenses against insects. Derived from plant oils, EcoSMART products contain active ingredients that work by blocking the octopamine receptor - a neurotransmitter unique to insects - which regulates metabolism, movement and behavior. As the insect's nervous system is paralyzed, its heart rate increases and death occurs in seconds.
EcoSMART's technology and products are used by large national brands in residential, commercial, and lawn and garden pest control programs, as well as in retail homeowner products such as Sergeant's® Pet Care Products. EcoSMART's complete line of interior and exterior formulations is effective against a broad spectrum of insect pests and provides both quick knockdown and control. Homeowners who are interested in using EcoSMART's natural range of pesticides should contact their local pest management professional.
Steve Stringer joins EcoSMART Technologies
New vice president to grow environmentally safe
Atlanta, Ga. (Jan.17, 2007) — EcoSMART Technologies is pleased to introduce Steve Stringer as the new vice president of its agricultural division, effective immediately. EcoSMART Technologies is a world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils.
Fred Valov’s Success with Ecotrol
The Ecotrol application is cost effective; the product works well in controlling all the mites and other pests in 3 – 5 days, also allowing the beneficial insects to come back in the field quicker to help control the insects.
Atlanta, Ga. (Fev.11, 2005) — Crops: Nectarines, Peaches, Pluots,Apriums, Plums, Berries, Apples, Pear Apples, Almonds
Pests: Primary pest Mites, secondary Aphids and Whiteflies
Treated Acreage: 345 Acres
Equipment: Air Blast Sprayer by ground, Helicopter for Aerial
Rate & Volume: 100 – 200 gallons by ground (size of trees), 20 gal by air, 2 quarts Ecotrol / acre (Berries – .75 qts.)
Surfactant: Natural Wet 16 oz / 100gal, Mora- Leaf P&K (plus micro nutrients)
Results: Exceeded expectations, pleasantly surprised
Grower’s Satisfaction Level: Rating was 1 – 5 (5 being the best) all the growers would rate the application of EcoTrol a “5”
Story:
The EcoTrol application is cost effective; the product works well in controlling all the mites and other pests in 3 – 5 days, also allowing the beneficial insects to come back in the field quicker to help control the insects. Not only is the initial knock down of mites and other pests impressive, so is the length of control.
The major factors EcoTrol has working in its favor is:
(1) the cost,
(2) it is environmentally safe
(3) it is ORMI approved & NOP so no filing
(4) most important, EcoTrol works.
There was one field that had mites causing extreme webbing on the leaves, at this point normally you try to just knock down the mites and keep them from building back up. Went in with EcoTrol, Natural Wet & Mora Leaf P&K and not only did they knock down the mites, at 2.5 weeks the pest mortality was still continuing, and beneficials were becoming established. This result was not expected, so we were extremely pleased. We feel that Natural Wet with yucca extract in it allows EcoTrol to spread better to be available for the mites and others pests to come contact with it on the leaf. This could be the reason for the length of control.
Very satisfied with results, plan on using EcoTrol next year in controlling of mites and other pests.
Summer is no picnic for pests
Summer is no picnic for pests: Effective, all-natural solutions help planet Earth win war on bugs. Patented plant-based EcoSMART Technologies to change face of pest control
Franklin, Tenn. (July 14, 2005) — People may be fighting for their lives in War of the Worlds this summer, but thanks to EcoSMART Technologies, life on Earth is no picnic for bugs either. That's because humans have a new weapon in pest control. Instead of relying on traditional synthetic chemicals, everyone from suburban dwellers, schools and retirement communities to municipalities and farmers can now harness the power of EcoSMART's unique plant-based formulations to control unwanted pests without adverse effects on other organisms.
“EcoSMART Technologies is changing the way we protect ourselves from insects and other pests,” said Steve Bessette, EcoSMART's president. “Our plant-based technology is as effective as conventional products, but it has the added bonus of offering an unprecedented margin of safety to people, pets and the environment,” he added.
Man’s fight against bugs is as old as the hills: Insects are thought to outnumber humans on earth by about 200 million to one. Globally, an estimated $44 billion is spent on pesticides every year, with $12 billion of that spent in the United States. The long-term effects of chemical pesticide use are not fully understood; however, the demand for nontoxic, planet-friendly alternatives is growing rapidly. Double-digit growth for the past five years in the organic food market confirms the trend toward pesticide-free products.
EcoSMART is so confident in the future of botanical pest control for residential, commercial and agricultural markets that it recently secured $6 million in equity financing from Cordova Ventures, Early Stage Partners and Delta Capital.
EcoSMART's patented formulations harness nature’s own defenses against insects. Derived from plant oils, EcoSMART products contain active ingredients that work by blocking the octopamine receptor - a neurotransmitter unique to insects - which regulates metabolism, movement and behavior. As the insect's nervous system is paralyzed, its heart rate increases and death occurs in seconds.
EcoSMART offers its own Bioganic® line that includes a Crawling Insect Killer, Flying Insect Killer, Wasp and Hornet Killer, Lawn and Garden Spray and ShooBug® personal repellants. ShooBug, a highly effective alternative to DEET, is safe for children, nongreasy and provides two to three hours of protection against mosquitoes, gnats, biting flies and no-see-ums. All products are proven safe for use around children and pets and will not harm the environment. (Visit www.bioganic.com for information on where to purchase these products.)
EcoSMART Technologies also partners with large, national brands for use in residential, commercial, and lawn and garden pest control programs. Its complete line of interior and exterior formulations is effective against a broad spectrum of insect pests and provides both quick knockdown and control. The line is being increasingly utilized in school, college and retirement-home pest control programs. EcoSMART's agricultural division includes crop protection products for weed, insects and mites, and fungus control that can be used by conventional, transitional and organic farmers, as well as by municipalities in right-of-way programs. Its products have recently been approved for use in California by the city of San Diego and Santa Clara County.
“We offer consumers new and useful technologies that are the best alternatives available in the market today,” Bessette said. “We're leading the trend towards patented botanical alternatives to conventional pesticides and continuing to develop effective alternatives that are safe around children and pets. With the help of our many distribution partners, I believe we're going to change the face of pest control this century,” he added.
EcoSMART Technologies is a world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils. The active ingredients in EcoSMART's products are unique, synergistic blends of essential oils, many of which are classified GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and approved as direct food additives. EcoSMART Technologies is the first company to economically enable a realistic shift from synthetic to botanical pesticides in the residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural markets. For more information, visit www.ecosmart.com or call (877) 667-0006.
EcoSMART Hires Two Sales and Marketing
EcoSMART has recently hired two sales and marketing representatives in California, Nanette Simonian and Bobby Ragsdale, where trends favor reduced-risk and minimum risk pesticides.
Atlanta, Ga. (July.19, 2005) — EcoSMART has recently hired two sales and marketing representatives in California, Nanette Simonian and Bobby Ragsdale, where trends favor reduced-risk and minimum risk pesticides.
Nanette and Bobby bring the knowledge and the experience needed to expand and position EcoSMART crop protection products in organic crops, sustainable agriculture and the IPM programs.