Major Recall Launched After Products Found at Risk of Pest Adulteration

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WASHINGTON — A massive recall was issued for products that could result in serious illness “due to adulteration from pests, including rodents, birds and insects,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Dec 26.

FDA posted on its website that Gold Star Distribution voluntarily recalled all FDA- regulated products distributed from its facility due to potential contamination resulting from unsanitary conditions.

The recall was initiated after the agency determined that products were “stored in conditions that may have exposed them to contamination from pests, including rodents, birds and insects.”

FDA investigators observed evidence of rodent and avian activity, including droppings and other contamination, in areas where medical devices, drugs, human food, pet food and cosmetic products were held. These conditions create a significant risk that products may have been adulterated with filth or harmful microorganisms. — Source: FDA

Rentokil Initial Appoints Mike Duffy as CEO

LONDON — Rentokil Initial announced that Mike Duffy has been appointed chief executive and an executive director, effective March 16. He joined the company Feb. 16 as CEO designate.

Duffy will succeed Andy Ransom, who will step down as CEO and executive director on March 16. Ransom will remain with the company through its annual general meeting on May 7 to support the transition, Rentokil Initial said.

Duffy, a U.S. citizen, will be based in North America. He brings more than 25 years of leadership experience with large U.S. companies across business-to-business and consumer sectors.

He is currently CEO of OnTrac, a U.S. logistics company focused on last-mile residential deliveries for e-commerce and direct-to-consumer businesses. Before joining OnTrac, Duffy served as CEO of FleetPride, a distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and services. During his tenure, FleetPride operated more than 350 locations across North America, according to Rentokil Initial.

Rentokil Initial Chair Richard Solomons said Duffy has experience leading multi-site and route-based operations and overseeing customer acquisition strategies. “He has a strong track record of managing growth and leading organizational change,” Solomons said.

Solomons also thanked Ransom for his 18 years with the company, including his tenure as CEO. “Andy has played a significant role in shaping Rentokil Initial into a global services business,” Solomons said. “We are grateful for his leadership and commitment.”

Ransom became CEO in 2013 and led the company through a period of expansion, including growth in its pest control and hygiene businesses.

“It has been a privilege to lead Rentokil Initial,” Ransom said. “I am proud of what the business has achieved and confident in its future.”

Duffy said he is looking forward to taking on the role.

“Rentokil Initial has a strong global presence and an established position in North America,” he said. “I look forward to working with the team to build on the company’s existing strengths.”

NYC Establishes Office of Rodent Mitigation

NEW YORK — In December, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order creating the city’s first Mayor’s Office of Rodent Mitigation, formalizing a centralized approach to combating rats as part of his administration’s “War on Rats” initiative.

The new office will coordinate rodent-control efforts across city agencies, community groups and the private sector, operating under a mayor-appointed director known as the city’s “rat czar.” The move makes permanent a strategy Adams began early in his term, which has focused heavily on trash containerization, enforcement and public education.

“New Yorkers know there is nothing I dislike more than rats,” Adams said in a statement. “This executive order ensures our War on Rats has a permanent home and that the policies we’ve put in place continue to make our city more livable.”

The office will provide expert guidance, oversee interagency initiatives and work with residents, researchers and pest control professionals to reduce rodent populations across the five boroughs. City agencies will support the effort through Integrated Pest Management on public property, strengthened contracts and improved oversight.

According to the city’s 2025 Mayor’s Management Report, rat-related indicators have improved. Initial inspections showing active rat signs fell to 19.7% in fiscal year 2025, a five-year low. At New York City Housing Authority properties, response times to rat and other pest complaints also improved significantly.

The new office builds on a series of initiatives launched under Adams’ “Trash Revolution,” which aimed to reduce street trash that attracts rodents. The administration changed garbage set-out times, expanded containerization requirements citywide and adjusted sanitation pickup schedules to limit the amount of trash left on sidewalks overnight.

Key milestones include the appointment of the city’s first rat czar in 2023, mandatory containerization for food- related businesses that same year, expanded container rules for all businesses in 2024, and requirements for low-density residential buildings that now cover about 70% of the city’s trash. The city has also launched volunteer cleanup programs and a new team focused on rat infestations in street tree beds.

City officials say the Office of Rodent Mitigation will help sustain progress by aligning policies, coordinating enforcement and leading public outreach aimed at long-term rodent reduction. — Source: NYC.gov

In Memoriam: George Pickhardt and Ernie Nascimento

VENICE, Fla., and PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — The pest control industry is mourning the loss of two respected leaders, George Pickhardt and Ernie Nascimento, whose careers helped shape the profession for decades.

Pickhardt, a longtime leader of Environmental Pest Service in Tampa, Fla., died Dec. 27. He was 80.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Pickhardt earned a bachelor’s degree in entomology from the University of Florida in 1969. He went on to receive a master’s degree in ornamental horticulture in 1971 and later earned a doctorate from Cornell University.

Pickhardt joined his family’s business, Arrow Environmental Services, and assumed leadership from his father in 1988. Following the economic recession of 2008, he led a major restructuring of the company, partnering with Concentric Equity Partners and rebranding the firm as Environmental Pest Service. Under his leadership, the company pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy, leading to a period of sustained growth.

Environmental Pest Service grew into an $82 million company before it was acquired by Rentokil in 2021.

Nascimento, founder of SHS Pest Control, Portsmouth, R.I., died Jan. 5. He was 91.

Nascimento served in the U.S. Army from March 1951 to March 1954. After returning home, he worked as a mechanic before teaching himself construction. He founded Nascimento Builders, constructing homes and commercial apartment buildings throughout the Rhode Island cities of Tiverton, Portsmouth, Little Compton and Fall River. He also established Nascimento Properties, a residential rental business.

In 1980, Nascimento founded SHS Pest Control, which he operated alongside his wife, Michele Eccles, until their retirement in 2022. He also played a key role in the formation of the New England Pest Control Association, helping strengthen professional collaboration across the region. — Brad Harbison

King County (Wash.) Warns Residents of Toilet Rats

SEATTLE — In December, Washington state experienced severe, historic flooding due to multiple atmospheric river phenomena. The flooding forced more than 100,000 evacuations, shut down major highways and strained the region’s infrastructure.

In addition, burrowing rats were displaced and, according to Public Health — Seattle & King County, rats made their way to the city’s sewer systems and sometimes surfaced in residents’ toilets.

Public Health — Seattle & King County responded with a warning of “toilet rats” in social media posts, which described how rain affects sewer rats. These posts also provided sanitation tips to avoid attracting them and instructions on how to try and flush down a toilet rat. Importantly, they urged residents who have trouble flushing their toilet rat to call a pest management professional.

Kevin Peterson of Cascade Pest Control, Snohomish, Wash., said, “We had in- creases in activity in some places but it’s often hard to pin it down to flooding or water saturation. But we expect to find rodent behavior adapting to the circumstances.” — Brad Harbison

NEPMA Presents Annual Bartlett W. Eldredge Award to Jim O’Neill

BOSTON — The New England Pest Management Association (NEPMA) hosted its annual dinner and awards meeting on Dec. 3, bringing together pest management professionals from across the region for an evening of networking, recognition and leadership updates.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of NEPMA’s highest honor, the Bartlett W. Eldredge Award, to Jim O’Neil of Rentokil Terminix. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate long-term commitment to advancing the pest management industry in New England, community service and the respect of their peers.

NEPMA cited O’Neil’s 35-year career with Terminix and later Rentokil Terminix as exemplifying the spirit of the Bartlett W. Eldredge Award.