Rebuttal to Dave G's letter on CA proposed spraying of light brown apple moth

[Guest guest]

The following question and answer is from The Bug Man, Richard Fagerlund--pest

expert, entomologist, and, it so happens, vegan. http://www.askthebugman.com/.

I believe there are serious risks involved in the proposed California spraying

plan. Fagerlund is a repected scientist.

 

Bob Gotch

 

 

 

here -->

Moth spraying likely to harm more than help

Richard Fagerlund

Saturday, February 23, 2008

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sfgate_get_fprefs(); Q: We live in the Bay Area. The insecticide

Checkmate is scheduled to be sprayed over our city to interrupt the mating cycle

of the light brown apple moth. Naturally, we're concerned about its possible

effects on humans, as well as the fish in our pond. Do you know how safe

Checkmate is?

 

A: This appears to be a very troubling issue for many Californians. My mailbox

is almost full every day from inquiries about the light brown apple moth

project. California officials are worried that the larvae of the light brown

apple moth could extensively damage the state's agricultural industry.

As The Chronicle reported this week, state Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco,

is pushing for a moratorium on aerial spraying of a moth pesticide over San

Francisco and Marin counties. The resolution, if passed, would delay the

application of a synthetic pheromone that disrupts the mating of the moth.

( " Migden seeks to delay aerial moth spraying, " Feb. 20.)

The article stated: " Under state and federal plans, San Francisco, Marin and

San Mateo counties and the East Bay would be sprayed in August. Officials plan

to spray Monterey and Santa Cruz counties in June; those counties were sprayed a

first time late last year. ... Agriculture officials haven't disclosed which

formulations they will use, saying they are still evaluating a formulation of a

pheromone called Checkmate along with some other products. "

Here are some of the ingredients in Checkmate LBAM-F: (E)-11-Tetradecen-1-yl

acetate, (E,E)-9, 11-Tetradecadien-1-yl-acetate; cross linked polyurea polymer;

butylated hydroxytoluene; polyvinyl alcohol; tricaprylyl methyl ammonium

chloride; sodium phosphate; ammonium phosphate; 1,2-benzisothiozolin3-one;

2-hydroxyl-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone.

Ammonium and sodium phosphates can irritate or burn the skin, eyes and

respiratory tract. So can tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride, which is used to

mothproof clothing and degrades into chemicals that are more environmentally

toxic. Polyvinyl alcohol has caused cancerous tumors in lab animals. It's also

labeled as an irritant - as is another Checkmate inert, butylated

hydroxytoluene, which may be linked to a spectrum of symptoms including asthma,

gene mutations and cancer. The little-studied 1,2-benzisothiozolin-3-one, a

germicide, is considered highly toxic to green algae and marine invertebrates,

according to a 2005 EPA re-registration document. And while there's not much

data on UV-absorbing 2-hydroxy-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone, the family of chemicals

to which it belongs is linked to the disruption of hormones, including estrogen,

according to a 2003 report in the Journal of Health Science.

According to an article in The Chronicle ( " State plans Bay Area pesticide

spraying, " Feb. 15), " state officials say the amount of pesticide applied

shouldn't pose severe health risks, but they've also refused to rule out that

the spray can affect humans, particularly sensitive people such as children and

the elderly. " (To see the complete article, go to sfgate.com/ZCMO). " Shouldn't

pose severe health risks " ? That is not very reassuring. The rest of the

statement needs no comment.

Another source said the light brown apple moth can devastate thousands of

species of plants. If that were true, both Australia and New Zealand would be

very barren countries, plantwise, and that isn't the case. I believe the federal

government and California Department of Food and Agriculture are way off the

mark in using all of these pesticides to try to eradicate a moth that " may "

cause damage. We probably will never eradicate the moth, but we can potentially

cause great harm to many Californians and the environment by repeatedly spraying

chemicals all over our communities.

What is the answer? Contact your U.S. senators and representatives and ask them

to intervene. Call and write the governor until he listens to the commonsense

arguments against this nonsense. Contact the McCain, Clinton and Obama

presidential campaigns and ask for their input on this. It may get national

attention, which would be helpful.

Richard Fagerlund is a pest management specialist who promotes non-toxic

methods of pest control. See www.askthebugman.com.

 

 

 

Dave Goggin <dg2222 wrote:

>attention northern california listeners -

>YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE SPRAYED WITH MOTH-KILLING PESTICIDE!!!

 

False.

 

The " pesticide " does not kill any moths - it is a pheramone that inhibits and

confuses their reproduction. Birth control for moths you might say. Very

humane.

 

It is also totally harmless to humans, other animals, etc.

 

As a vegan, I completely support this spraying. It simply inhibits the moths

(which incidently are not even a native species) from reproducing, thereby

protecting all of the yummy fruit and vegetable crops in California we all love

and enjoy.

 

The moths' right to breed ends where our right to enjoy plentiful yummy fresh

vegetables begins.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Bob,

 

Thanks for providing us with further details on the science of this issue,

rather than environmentalist hype and misinformation. Much appreciated and

legitimate concern duly noted.

 

-DG