Reporteronline.com- Aerial spraying for West Nile Virus-SE Pa

[Quakerfriend]

Source: thereporteronline.com

http://www.thereporteronline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20092806&BRD=2275&PAG=461&dept_id=466404&rfi=6





Read more: DEP Spraying and Scourge Properties.pdf

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There was little or no public notice given before large parts of Bucks and Montco.Co., Pa were sprayed last night.


Anyone know of a grassroots effort to stop the spraying campaign?

[cobalt1999]

1. Why stop it?

You love mosquitoes?

[MadHound]

3. Do you love exposure to DEET and other dangerous chemicals?

If they came over my place and sprayed my place, I'd be pissed too. Not only are there major dangers in using insecticides, spraying them out of a plane usually has huge unintended consequence. I have an organic orchard, if they sprayed that, my crop would be shot for that year, and possibly for years afterwards.

There are better ways of dealing with mosquitoes that don't involve massive overkill spraying

[Quakerfriend]

6. ditto.

[cobalt1999]

8. So what are those better ways?

I'm fine with DEET. You don't go camping down south without it.

I live in Florida where if spraying doesn't happen regularly, the place is swarmed with mosquitoes. If you have a better way, I'm all ears.

[MadHound]

15. I don't know about down south, but here in Missouri

If you keep the water collectors, things like tires and other debris that holds water, down to a minimum and introduce creatures like mayflies that eat mosquitoes, you really don't have much of a problem. I keep my farm picked up and have a solar powered agitator on my pond, and I rarely get a mosquito bite. Ticks on the other hand are a real problem, especially now that they're carrying diseases like Lyme and eurlichiosis.

[Ian David]

4. It's less stupid than being against vaccination, anyway. n/t

[enough]

2. Strange that they don't say WHICH pesticide is being used.

[Quakerfriend]

9. Hi enough!

The chemical used is called Scourge. This is made up largely of Resmethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid product. The DEP says that the verdict is still out as to whether or not this causes endometrial cancers. They also warn that there may be neurological effects associated with exposure. I recently read that the use of pesticides has been linked to Parkinson's disease (no link).

[Quakerfriend]

5. I don't believe that wide spread use of synthetic chemicals that

may cause cancer is warranted, given the very low incidence of West Nile.


My mother, along with other Twp residents, fought to stop Twp. wide aerial spraying with DDT back in the early 60's. They were successful. And, only many yrs later did we learn of the impact DDT would have.



:hi:

[Name removed]

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[ElboRuum]

10. Not against the spraying...

But it would have been nice for the municipalities in question to have been notified sooner with more opportunity to respond with concerns.

But that is the American way, isn't it? Better to simply do first and ask forgiveness later rather than to risk being denied by asking permission.

[drm604]

11. Damn

I wish I had known so that I could have at least closed my windows last night.

[AllentownJake]

12. Flame me but good

I live near those counties and don't want West Nile Virus.

[drm604]

13. No argument.

But I would have preferred to have my windows closed when they sprayed.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. I am subscribed to "AlertPA"

which will send texts depending on which alert topic is of interest (traffic, weather, Amber Alerts, etc), and I actually rec'd a text about this spraying on 8/26 (which was also the same day that spraying would occur).

Spraying was also scheduled for Delco in addition to Montco and Bucks.

I know the whole spraying bit is controversial and I have heard brief news blips the past couple weeks about an intention to spray due to the higher than usual incidence of West Nile in SE PA, but the mentions gave no date. Ironically, we haven't had rain in the area for about 2 weeks, so it is as dry as a bone out there... If anything, that in itself, may help reduce the future mosquito population.