"DEEP In Da Nile"
Click
Here to Add Comment Subject: "DEEP
In Da Nile"
Date:
Sat, 24 Aug 2002 01:41:40 -400
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
cc: "Brian J. Foster" <bfoster@swlaw.com>
cc: Christine Whitman
whitman.christine@epa.gov
August 17, 2002 - The Ottawa Sun - Letters to the Editor
RE "DEEP in da Nile," (Aug. 12): Overkill is the best way to describe Manitoba spending about $1 million to fog citizens against their will with malathion to control mosquitoes. The fact is that this "significant public health threat" with the West Nile virus has been fueled by unwarranted hysteria.
To date, there have been no deaths in Canada due to the virus and no one has been hospitalized for it. The real epidemic is cancer, not West Nile virus. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates 66,200 deaths from cancer will occur in 2002. Statistics like these make you wonder who is behind all the unnecessary fuss over West Nile virus.
It is also a fact that chemical spraying is usually the least effective yet most toxic way to control mosquitoes.
Pesticide spraying is not effective because it kills only about 10% of adult mosquitoes according to a fact sheet from the Safer Pest Control Project. Spraying toxic insecticides, such as malathion, to control mosquitoes will do more harm to our collective health than any alleged cure. The only benefit in this case would accrue to the mosquito control industry through increased sales.
I concur with Dr. Cushman. In the risk-benefit analysis let's not blow it out of proportion when dealing with West Nile virus.
Mike Christie
Co-Chair
City of Ottawa Health Dangers of the Urban Use of Pesticides Advisory
Committee
(Editorial note: A disease doesn't have to be fatal to be a health risk, but as our article pointed out, there are other ways to combat West Nile virus)
http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaSun/editorial.html#letters
If you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing information on pesticides, please email us at list@safe2use.com.