Mr. Helliker, what is an inert??

I realized you also are apparently also unable to define the word "inert".   Especially when you currently allow over 2,500 unregistered and untested "inerts" that pose a wide variety of health hazards and at least one of which has a contamination half life of over 4400 years and many of which have a contamination half life of over 880 years!

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Subject:   Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire----
Date:      Sat, 05 Aug 2000 16:55:46 -0400
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 

Dear Mr. Helliker,  I was thinking about the fact that apparently no one in your entire Department is able to define the word "alternative" and that until you learn how to do so - obviously there never will be any unregistered alternatives to  your "registered" POISONS in California.  As I continued my thoughts, I realized you also are apparently also unable to define the word "inert".   Especially when you currently allow over 2,500 unregistered and untested "inerts" that pose a wide variety of health hazards and at least one of which has a contamination half life of over 4400 years and many of which have a contamination half life of over 880 years!  How can you continue to simply ignore all of these terrible toxins which comprise the bulk (up to 99%) of your "registered" POISONS when you "register" them or how can you pretend to consider the  TRUE RISK/DANGER of your entire POISON compound?  Mr. Helliker, sometimes the worst LIE is SILENCE!    

Review below about how long a few of your unregistered "inerts" contaminate.

American Ind. Hyg. Assoc. - June, 1995 noted:  
Calculated Half-Life of the Most Common Residential  Air ContaminantsA

Look for your unregistered, untested inert

Compound Rate Constant
(cm3 molecules-1 seconds-1)

Half-Life at
100 ppb 0.3

n-HexaneB ~10-23 >880 years
n-HeptaneB ~10-23 >880 years
CyclohexaneB ~10-23 >880 years
MethylcyclohexaneB ~10-23 >880 years
Toulene <10-20 >0.9 years
m,p Xylene <10-21 >9 years
TrichlorethyleneB ~10-20 0.9 years
1,1,1-Trichlorethylene <10-23 >880 years
TetrachloroethyleneB ~10-22 880 years
IsobutanolB <10-20 >0.9 years
Formaldehyde <2 x 10-20 >4400 years
Acetaldehyde <10-20 >0.9 years
n-HexanalB <10-21 >9 years
Styrene 2 x 10-17 >0.9 years
AList completed for residential home in report World Health Organization, Indoor Air Quality Organic Pollutants, (EURO Reports and Studies No. 111, Copenhagen; WHO, Regional Office for Europe, 1989
BEstimated rate constant and half-life based on chemical similarities to tested compounds.

Well Mr. Helliker, The American heritage Dictionary defines the word "inert" as 1.)  Unable to move or act.  2.)  Moving or acting slowly; sluggish.  3.) Exhibiting no chemical activity; completely unreactive.  How on earth can you continue to "register" active POISON ingredients and simply call the rest of your dangerous, untested toxins "inert"?  As you well know, almost 400 of your unlabeled and unregistered "inerts" are or have been used as active POISON ingredients and many are more toxic to people and pets than your "registered" active POISON ingredients, and they obviously contaminate our environment far longer. How can you continue to demand that only your "registered" poisons can be used to "legally" control pest problems in California?  How on earth can you, with a straight face, continue to say you are "protecting" the public by not allowing the use of any safe and far more effective alternatives, e.g., unregistered dish soap and water to safely/actually control pests like Killer Bees and aphids?  Especially when you are obviously POISONING the public with your own unregistered "inerts"?  

Respectfully,  Stephen L. Tvedten

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