Conventional pest control poisons have always been used over the years to try and control rodent invasions in South Africa and worldwide, however, “no solution has been capable of effectively protecting electrical wiring and machinery from these gnawing vandals”, says Global Solutions MD Sebastian Seelig.

This was until the company introduced a green ecofriendly alternative, the Australian-manufactured electromagnetic PEST FREE system, to the South African market over four years ago. The product has existed for more than 16 years and is used worldwide for vermin and pest management in various industries.

PEST FREE is the only hazard analysis and critical control points- (HACCP)-endorsed chemical-free, ecofriendly product of its kind on the world market that has stood the test of time.

“This has been demonstrated by our many installations throughout South Africa, particularly at pasturised extended-shelf-life egg-products manufacturer Nulaid’s pack stations nationally, Seelig points out.

Global Solutions was contacted three years ago by Nulaid production manager Pierre Rossouw at Nulaid’s Brackenfell packstation, in the Western Cape, to urgently assess its factory as rodents were causing severe damage to Nulaid’s production line, says Seelig, who notes that while assessing the factory another machine stopped functioning for the same reason.

“The PEST FREE commercial units were installed and have been operating ever since, resulting in no further mechanical failure,” highlights Seelig.

He says mechanical failure, downtime and general disruptions are any production plants’ worst nightmare.

“Today, time is money and the costs incurred owing to these challenges, besides the inconvenience experienced, need to be avoided by production managers.

“Damage caused to the wiring of equipment and machinery by rodents, which is commonly overlooked unless blatently obvious, is a prominent cause of production downtime and/or mechanical damage,” explains Seelig.

Rodents are generally nocturnal, therefore, their presence during the day when machines are running at full capacity is rarely noticed. However, once the day’s shift ends and the factory’s workers go home, these silent vandals start their attack.

On why rodents are attracted to wiring, the pest control industry has various theories, which include requiring warmth, being drawn to the frequency (buzz) emitted by cables, needing to constantly file down their front incisors – which continue to grow throughout their lifespan – by gnawing on wires.

“No matter what the theory, the last thing any production plant needs is rodents setting up house, nevermind the health risks related to the diseases carried by these pests, as nobody wants machines standing still on a production line,” says Seelig.

The system is installed on distribution boards or control boxes to link to the electrical circuitry of a premises. Any appliance, machinery or production unit that is connected to the electrical supply is then protected by the modulating electromagnetic field generated by the PEST FREE system.

PEST FREE uses a premises’ existing electromagnetic field, which is created when electricity passes through wiring, appliances and machinery, and is normally static. However, when the system is connected to the circuitry this field begins to pulse and/or modulate, converting the field into a electromagnetic force.

Rodents and cockroaches are highly sensitive to changes in their environments and, therefore, are severely affected by this force and will move as far away from the fluctuating force as possible. Basically, retreat to a more comfortable environment or habitat.

Scientific studies highlighting the effect of magnetism on rodents have been carried out by independent organisations in the past, confirming that the effects created by the PEST FREE system with regard to electromagnetism do adversely affect rodents.

A study by the US Department of Biological Science and the Florida State University, ‘Behavioral and Neural Effects of High-Strenghth Static Magnetic Fields’ found that when exposing rats to a magnetic field, their ingestion was affected in two ways. If thirsty, rats were placed in the magnetic field prior to getting access to a sweet solution, their drinking behaviour was suppressed. If the rats were given access to a sweet solution before being placed in the magnetic field, the rats learned a conditioned taste aversion: this suggests that experiencing the magnetic field was aversive and may have induced sickness in the rats, which was attributed to the sweet solution, as if the solution was poisonous.

The study noted that this behavioural change suggests that the magnetic field activated a rat’s vestibular system, affecting its sense of balance and, perhaps, induced motion sickness.

“By staining tissue sections of the brain for a protein synthesised whenever electrical activity is increased in a neuron, we have been able to visualise activity in the neurons of [a rat’s] brain.

“Using this technique, we have found physiological evidence for stimulation of vestibular regions of the rat brainstem. The stress centres of the brain, as well as areas of the brain responsible for taste aversion learning, are also activated by the magnetic field. The strength of the brain activation is proportional to the strength of the magnetic field,” states the study.

Global Solutions has steadily grown its market share in South Africa since introducing  the PEST FREE systems and has also built a significant client base throughout Africa, which uses its range of PEST FREE products for residential and commercial applications.

The company has recently introduced an extended warranty and service plan option for its clients, whereby the PEST FREE product is covered for five years against malfunction, vandalism and theft. Therefore, no further capital outlay is required for the duration of the product’s maintenance plan.

“Another offering we have made available to consumers is a straight rental option which is most suited to consumers who do not wish to or do not have the capital to buy the PEST FREE system,” explains  Seelig, noting that the rental option includes a monthly inspection and reporting service, as well as a full warranty against theft, vandalism and malfunctioning units.

“We have found that by offering these options to the market we are able to offer a tailor-made solution that meets every client’s needs.”

The PEST FREE system is highly recommended for consumers who are experiencing ongoing rodent damage to their equipment or production line machinery, or even if they are looking for a green alternative to control rodent damage, says Seelig.

“Global Solutions sales and technical staff are readily available to schedule an appointment and assess your individual needs and provide you with the most cost-effective solution that is guaranteed to deliver results,” he states.

For a free quotation and assessment or to find out more call Global Solutions on 0861001063 or visit www.global-solutions.co.za.