A pesticide used in Florida is killing thousands of birds from
the Great Lakes and East Coast of the United States and putting millions more at
risk. Fenthion is sprayed over two million acres in Florida each
year for mosquito control, with some areas doused every few days, year round.
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Subject: Pesticide Killing Birds----------
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 04:31:40 -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
Dear Mr. Helliker,
I thought you might like to read an article entitled: Pesticide Killing
Birds. The WWF Conservation
Action Network issued this alert in collaboration with the American Bird
Conservancy, which is leading the campaign to end your "registered"
fenthion use. Fenthion is another
organophosphate POISON which acts as a stomach and contact POISON and was/is
specifically labeled to use to kill insects and birds.
A pesticide
used in Florida is killing thousands of birds from the Great Lakes and East
Coast of the United States and putting millions more at risk. Fenthion is sprayed over two million acres in Florida each
year for mosquito control, with some areas doused every few days, year round.
It is toxic to birds at extremely low doses. In
one instance, fenthion killed 25,000 birds of 37 different species, with
migratory warblers and thrushes found dead in the greatest numbers.
Dunlins, western sandpipers, black skimmers, least terns, little blue
herons, and endangered piping plovers have also been found dead in areas where
fenthion has been sprayed. Millions
of North American birds that rely on Florida habitats to breed or spend the
winter are at risk.
Within the next few months, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency will decide whether to allow the continued use of fenthion.
Please go to http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/
to send a free message urging EPA Administrator Carol Browner to prohibit its
use.
The EPA has stated that some current applications of
fenthion might also endanger children, especially toddlers.
And, fenthion can kill aquatic species such as fish, shrimp, crabs, and
amphibians. Most often applied by
helicopter, it remains in the air for long periods and can drift and
contaminate large areas. Birds
ingest the pesticide residues through food and water, absorb it through their
skin, and inhale it. (And they die.)
Well Mr. Helliker,
This particular organophosphate has caused cancer in mice.
Chronic toxicity problems in mammals show this particular POISON to be
a delayed neurotoxin, suspect embryotoxin, that is also known to cause
neuromuscular dysfunction and eye damages - in addition to the
"normal" organophosphate health effects.
I would like to again point out that it and all your other
"registered" POISONS have never "controlled" the mosquito
problem.
Respectfully, Stephen
L. Tvedten
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