Why Other Cities and States Do Not Spray Pesticides for West Nile Virus
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Why Other Cities and States Do Not Spray Pesticides for West Nile Virus
Date:
Thu, 5 Dec 2002 08:04:21 -0500
From:
Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide
Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Read Why Other Cities and States Do Not Spray Pesticides for West Nile Virus
Fort Worth, Texas has not sprayed for mosquitoes since 1991 for the following reasons:
1) "First, spraying chemicals in the streets will not rid the city of mosquitoes".
2) it "may give residents a false sense of security";
3) "adding harmful chemicals to the environment can have unwanted secondary effects";
4) "...residents living with respiratory problems such as asthma would be in danger of an outset of symptoms. Asthma and Allergies are two of the top five health problems for Fort Worth residents, according the 1998 Community Needs Assessment. The potential inhalation hazard to the general population does not seem worth the risk of killing a few mosquitoes."
See Ft. Worth government site to corroborate the above statements at: http://www.fortworthgov.org/health/HP/Mosquito_Spray2002.asp
Read why Washington, D.C. does not spray for mosquitoes:
"The District does not expect to spray for mosquitoes because of low efficacy; kills off non-target species and potential health risks to a high population of persons affected with respiratory problems and compromised immune systems."
See quotes from this live link http://www.dalcap.org/pub/dallmosq.html for web pages for the Wash. D.C. policy. See paragraph title "Pesticide Spraying for Adult Mosquitoes has Significant Risks."
The Dallas Citizens for Alternatives to Pesticides (DalCAP) is currently collecting information from Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and other places which have chosen not to spray.
For further information contact Dallas Citizens for Alternatives to Pesticides (DalCAP) PMB-266, 5521 Greenville Ave #104, Dallas, TX 75206 Web: www.DalCAP.Org. Email: dalcaporg@hotmail.com.
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