-Caveat Lector-
----Original Message Follows----
From: Mark Graffis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: N.Y. spraying raises health concerns
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 23:22:06 -0500 (CDT)
Friday, September 17, 1999
By Margot Higgins
As New York City concluded its first-round assault Wednesday on
mosquitoes carrying the St. Louis encephalitis virus, many people were
raising concerns about possible health risks associated with
blanketing the city in Malathion, sprayed from trucks and helicopters.
In 1997-98, similar spraying operations took place in Florida to
combat Mediterranean fruit flies and the procedure was blamed for
hundreds of health complaints in Hillsborough and neighboring
counties.
Federal and city officials have assured the public that the pesticide
is harmless, noting that Malathion has been used for more than four
decades to kill mosquitoes and other insects around the world. The
operations were approved by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
At a news conference Sept. 9, commissioner of the New York City
Department of Health, Neal Cohen said, "the substance to be sprayed
this evening, Malathion, is the most widely used insecticide for
aerial mosquito control in the United States. It poses virtually no
risk to humans and pets."
St. Louis encephalitis is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans. But
Cohen also warned, "New York City residents who live in the areas
being sprayed are advised to be inside this evening during spraying
activities, with air conditioners turned off or with the exhaust set
so that air exits the homes. Although adverse health effects are
remote, avoiding exposure will lessen the risk of any reactions, which
may include eye irritation, rash and respiratory problems. "
If treated, encephalitis isn't usually fatal, but it can be deadly to
people with weakened immune systems. The virus enters the bloodstream
when the victim is bitten by a mosquito and causes inflammation of the
brain. Between 1964 and 1998, only 4,478 cases of the rare virus have
been reported in the United States.
While 11 encephalitis cases had been confirmed by the New York Health
Department through Wednesday, many groups have indicated that the
risks associated with the insecticide are far greater than the threat
of contracting the virus.
"We think it is a knee-jerk reaction and it's definitely not safe. The
procedure is too radical and not well thought out," said Becky Crouse,
information coordinator for the New York Coalition for Alternatives to
Pesticides. "Telling anybody that a pesticide is safe is
misinformation and against the law. People are not getting the warning
they should be getting."
Crouse said Malathion is very readily absorbed through ingestion and
absorption through the skin. The immediate effects, she noted, are
dizziness, nausea, and respiratory problems, but could lead to "severe
immune dysfunction or other serious health problems." Crouse said her
office has been "receiving many phone calls from panicked people."
An alternative, Crouse said, would be for "the city to investigate
where the mosquitoes are coming from, and not just treat the adults."
She suggested treating standing water with the natural insecticide BT
for mosquito larvae in order to prevent the mosquitoes from
reproducing.
The Sierra Club has also been flooded with a large number of phone
calls since the spraying began. "People are not getting the proper
information," said one spokesperson. The Sierra Club is in the process
of investigating the potential dangers of the pesticide as well as how
this and other epidemics might fit into larger environmental problems
such as global warming.
The Malathion spraying is expected to last until the first frost
according to the Department of Emergency Operations.
Copyright 1999, Environmental News Network, All Rights Reserved
1. http://www.enn.com/index.asp
33. http://www.medofficeinc.com/f-set3.html
34. http://www.epa.gov/internet/opptscon.htm
35. http://yates.coph.usf.edu/~lbiasci/
36. http://ace.orst.edu/info/nptn/
37. http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/html/cd/encalert.html
38. http://www.pesticide.org/default.htm
39. http://www.cehn.org/cehn/resourceguide/nycap.html
40. http://doacs.state.fl.us/medfly/malathion.html
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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this
material is distributed without charge or profit to those
who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type
of information for non-profit research and educational
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