Flypaper and the EU

For some reason, this summer I am plagued by flies. It's not due to ripe bins or dead beasties outside my back door. I haven't a clue why they're here but they're driving - me - mad. To the point of desperate, pathetic swatting.

Truly, destructively pathetic swatting. Monty Python stylee. It's like I'm back in a Sydney fly plague.

Now when I went looking for a solution which did not involve spays (which stink and mean room evacuation) could I find it? Could I eck. Only massively expensive traps or a 'repellent' which vaguely works (not really).

Admittedly I live where it's just brand name shops a-go-go and not local specialists, unless you search. Like much of these isles.

I was looking for flypaper. Y'know: they stick, they die. Only the lady in the shop informed me that it's banned by the EU. On investigation, presumably because that involves arsenic and some kid or idiot might decide to suck on it (I was a tad mad-as-hell and not-going-to-take-it-any-more).

One of my readers (you know who you are) was asking for comment on the Irish rejection of the EU Treaty.

As far as I'm concerned (and not very), the EU is obviously a 'good idea' but obviously inefficient (two parliaments!?!) and the treaty appeared to be about attempting to sort that. But I haven't heard much about flypaper in the debate.

The point being - what is the alternative to flypaper? According to what's actually in the shops it's either sprays (yecch) or expensive, plug-in electric things which capture the bastards.

But according to a search there are other 'humane' (this is a joke, right?) 'methods' you can buy which seem to only be online. 'Humane' flypaper. But they're not in the shops. What's in the shops is only what some GIANT CORP gives out and it's mainly sprays.

So, when someone thought up this lovely, save the whales ban on yee traditional flypaper did it cross their mind what the end consumer would actually end up having to choose from as alternatives?

I think not.

And no, this isn't a 'failing of the EU' per se because it's probably not a good idea to have arsenic floating around on rubbish tips etc. But the system needs reforming and, I'd guess, it's not my top interest, a bit more public engagement than what you'd get via the Daily Mail to make the decision makers think through what the decisions mean at the sharp end - i.e. flypaper bans - would help.

To sum up: from my harried perspective, the EU appears to operate in the interests of GIANT CORPS. They should pay attention to the little guy, in this case the little england(er). (Shakes fist and starts swatting).