A mosquito control product the city of Portage la Prairie tabbed to replace Malathion has been given the green light for use by municipalities.

DeltaGard 20 EW will be the new chemical utilized in Portage for fogging, parks manager Dave Green says, after the city received word recently regulators approved use of the product for municipal pesticide control applications. Manufacturers have yet to begin making DeltaGard, but production is expected to begin shortly and it should ship in the next five to six weeks.

"In the meantime, we have to amend our pesticide licenses to include DeltaGard," Green explains. "Once we get approval on our license and the suppliers get the product in, we'll be able to order some, and we will no longer be using Malathion."

The city had enough Malathion in reserves for one application in the 2017 Pesticide Control Program, but changes in Health Canada storage standards rendered the stock unfit for use. The new product will be about double the cost of Malathion, but Green says it's more effective in exterminating mosquitoes.

"It does have some residual effect, which Malathion does not," he notes. "With Malathion, you have to make actual contact with mosquitoes They have to ingest it right at the time of fogging as once Malathion hits the ground it becomes inactive. With DeltaGard it is still active for a couple of days after your initial spraying or fogging."

There is limited information on the environmental or health impact of DeltaGard, Green notes.

"But from what we understand it is supposed to be safer (than Malathion) for the public and the applicator,” he says.

The city's 2017 Pesticide Control Program began May 1 and runs through Oct. 30, 2017.

See related story:

"Malathion Out For Mosquito Fogging in Portage"