UK pest management journalist Frances McKim shares her experience of FAOPMA-Pest Summit 2022, held in Kyoto.
Representatives from the Australian professional pest control community were well represented at the recent Pest Summit 2022 event held at the Kyoto International Conference Centre, Japan between 8-11 November.
The event was organised by the Japan Pest Control Association (JPCA) on behalf of the Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers Associations (FAOPMA).
Despite the distance travelled by some delegates, accompanied by the rigorous Japanese entry requirements, the event was a sell-out. Over 800 delegates attended, 450 of them from outside Japan representing over 30 different countries. For those unable to travel to Kyoto, the event was also held virtually.
A warm welcome
Welcoming delegates was Kenjiro Yamaguchi, the President of the JPCA, and host of this event. Part of the welcoming party, and an indication of significance of the event, it was formally opened by former prime minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, who held this post for one year during the Covid-19 pandemic and also for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Mr Suga congratulated the industry for the significant contribution it made during the Covid-19 pandemic and for making the world a safer place. “Covid is a global problem, so it is good to share knowledge and experiences at such international events,” he stated.
The opening keynote address was given by Junichiro Katayama, a past president of FAOPMA and also president and owner of Semco, the largest distributor of pest related products in Japan. Mr Katayama detailed the origins of FAOPMA when in 1987 representatives from eight member companies got together in Tokyo and formed the organisation. Today it consists of associations from 18 countries across Asia, Oceania, Australia and New Zealand as well as India, China and Indonesia. Impressively, this makes FAOPMA the largest pest control federation, taking care of the public health of over half of the world’s population.
Australian contingent
Several of the presentations were given by Australian speakers. Dr Don Ewart from the Institute of Pest Risk Management addressed the topic of the science and business of termite management, whilst guidance on how to manage stored product pests in food manufacturing facilities was given by Dr David Lilly of Ecolab.
An update on insecticide resistance in bed bugs was given by Stephen Doggett from Westmead Hospital, NSW who also led a complete session on the impact of climate change which included Vasili Tsoutouras, a past president of FAOPMA and president of the Australian Environmental Pest Managers’ Association. This was a most appropriate venue to discuss climate change, as it was in this very location that the Kyoto Protocol on climate change was adopted in 1997, paving the way for the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Complementary exhibition
Running alongside was a 38-stand exhibition that included many of the familiar international companies such as BASF, Syngenta and Envu (making its debut appearance in this part of the world). The Ensystex stand displayed its range of products including the new Omniveo UV flying insect light trap designed to use ether conventional UV-A fluorescent lamps or low-energy-consuming UV-A LED lamps. Another new LED fly trap was also on display from PestWest Starkeys who launched its Chameleon Qualis LED light trap.
Amongst the Australian delegates attending were Paul and Kylee Enwright of CPR Pest Management Services from Singleton, NSW, Jay and Nicole Turner of Laguna Pest Control, QLD, Eris Hess of Agserv Pest Control Supplies and Stephen Ware, national executive director of the Australian Environmental Pest Managers’ Association.
As to be expected, delegates also found time to explore some of the historic sites of Kyoto and at the gala dinner guests were entertained by a performance by the famous Japanese geisha girls.
If this has whetted your appetite, next year’s FAOPMA event will take place in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
