There is a lot of research showing these volatile toxins "drift" and will do so for many miles even if there is no wind!  No one knows what the long-term health effects are, but we already know that over 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year!   The insanity of continually spraying VOLATILE POISONS that can and do harm us is totally illogical, especially when there are so many safe/GRAS alternatives that control the pest problems better than your "registered" POISONS!
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Subject:   Pesticide (POISON) Mist Forces Evacuations------
Date:         Wed, 17 Nov 1999 08:35:59 -0500
From:     Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To:     Lyndon Hawkins <hawkins@empm.cdpr.ca.gov>

Well Lyndon, I see your "registered" POISONS are back in the news again forcing people to evacuate (run for their lives) Earlimart, California.

06:43 AM ET 11/15/99 - Pesticide (POISON) Mist Forces Evacuations

          EARLIMART, Calif. (AP) _ Mist from a weed-killing pesticide (POISON) blew  into this small San Joaquin Valley town, forcing 150 people to evacuate their homes and sending dozens to the hospital.
          Twenty-nine people went to hospitals Saturday night complaining of nausea, vomiting, headaches, burning eyes and shortness of  breath from exposure to (the "registered" POISON) metam sodium, Tulare County Sheriff's officials said Sunday. Hospital officials said all were treated and released.
          Residents were not allowed back into their homes until about 11:30 p.m., some six hours after the leak occurred.
          Growers had contracted Shafter-based Wilbur-Ellis Company to spray the chemical (POISON), commonly known as Sectagon 42, to the field using sprinklers.
          ``It was applied per the directions so I'm not sure how it ended up coming back into town,'' said Tulare County Fire Capt. Patricia Granillo. ``It was just kind of hanging in town once it came in.''
          Tulare County agriculture officials were still investigating the leak. Wilbur-Ellis officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment Sunday night.
          Members of the United Farm Workers said Sectagon is a highly toxic fumigant (POISON) that has been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.  It is sometimes used instead of methyl bromide (another "registered" POISON) to spray fruits, vegetables and orchard crops, although the field it was applied to Saturday had no crops growing on it, Granillo said.
          ``Can you imagine over your house a cloud of something that has this kind of potential?'' asked Jocelyn Sherman, a United Farm Workers spokeswoman. ``We don't know what the long-term effects  are.''
          Earlimart, a town of about 6,000 people, is about 220 miles southeast of San Francisco.

Well Lyndon, once again I have to say I told you so.  Volatile pesticide (POISONS) even when they are "registered" and used according to your "registered" labels - can and will and do KILL and/or INJURE (non-target) people, birds and animals!  There is a lot of research showing these volatile toxins "drift" and will do so for many miles even if there is no wind!  No one knows what the long-term health effects are, but we already know that over 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year!   The insanity of continually spraying  VOLATILE POISONS that can and do harm us is totally illogical, especially when there are so many safe/GRAS alternatives that control the pest problems better than your "registered" POISONS!  When will it be "legal" (in your opinion) to use any unregistered alternatives to safely and effectively control pests in California?

Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten.

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