Tuesday, July 29, 2014

8/5/14 Sunnyvale, Santa Clara fogging


    This is Fogging #12 in Santa Clara County this year.

Vector Control will spray toxic pesticides from the back of trucks into the air, from 11pm to 3am on Tuesday, August 5 in Sunnyvale & Santa Clara.   See the map below.  See our advice for how to protect yourself,your families, and pets below.  Your comments to County Supervisors are making a difference!  Please continue to email, call, and write the Supervisors:   click here to help.

There is a County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tue Aug 5 at 9am at 70 W. Hedding San Jose.   It would be very helpful to show how many residents want to end the pesticide fogging.  If you can show up at 845am to sign up for public comment, and read/tell them why the fogging should be stopped (up to 1minute), please email to let me know.  I have talking points, hints for talking, or can provide you something to read. 
The next meeting is Tue, Aug 26 at 9am, please save the date. 


Santa Clara County Vector Control claims that they are fogging to stop West Nile Virus, BUT the research shows otherwise:


1.  There are NO human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Santa Clara County in 2014,  so there is NO emergency. (Latest West Nile Activity in California, 2014)
     The use of pesticide fogging was supposed to be a "last resort" in a human epidemic of WNV, to knock down lots of infected adult mosquitoes.  Currently, there is only 1 infected mosquito in every 100, but it only takes finding 1 infected mosquito for Vector to decide to fog again.  


2. It is not effective against the spread of West Nile Virus.(Michael R. Reddy, et. al.) It only kills a few adult mosquitoes that happen to fly into the fog.  The others hiding in bushes will survive and lay more eggs.  All the larvae in the standing water around the yard will hatch the next day and the cycle starts over again. Also, the continued use of pyrethroids (the synthetic nerve toxin in the fogging pesticide) creates pesticide-resistance in the surviving mosquitoes (S.Marcombe, et.al., 2011).  So, frequent foggings only create the need for an even more toxic, stronger pesticide if a mosquito-born disease emergency ever did strike our county.


3. Vector control gets over $6.8 million from OUR parcel taxes every year. They should be spending those funds on educating people to clear standing water every week.  Or advertising the free mosquito fish for contained ponds and unused pools.  Or taking the time to work with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to find other ways to control mosquitoes without harming the environment and adding another toxin to our bodies.


4. The pesticide used is Zenivex E4.  The active ingredient is Etofenprox, a synthetic nerve toxin.  While most mammals might detoxify Etofenprox in isolation, we live in a pool of chemicals and many people do not have perfectly functioning livers.  Research shows that this toxin DOES accumulate in the body, and also passes from mother to child via placenta and milk. (Alonso MB, et. al., 2012)


5.   The County Dept of Environmental Health told us that they rely on the manufacturer's testing and the EPA for safety.  It is not safe nor responsible to rely on one biased source of information when it concerns Public Health.  The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) shows toxicity levels from only rats and mice experiments.   It also states that this chemical is a known toxin for bees and aquatic life. The County assumes that it is safe for humans because they falsely believe that mammals will detoxify the pyrethroid.


6.  It is toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.  The toxin has a half-life (the time it takes for half of it to degrade) of 4.5 days on the ground.  It takes 3 half-lives to clear it.  So, the toxin is around for 2 weeks after each fogging.  This is enough that bees get a sub-lethal dose,  and cannot fly back to the hive.  Fogging also kills beneficial insects which stops the natural predators of mosquitoes and disables the interdependent lives in our ecosystem.


7. Special populations are not able to detoxify the toxin, and then it will accumulate in the body.  Babies livers are not developed yet.  Pregnant and nursing moms can pass the toxin to babies via placenta and milk.   Elderly, immune-compromised, and anyone with liver disfunction may not  detoxify the toxin. They should at least be warned by the County to take precautions to protect their families.  Currently, Vector states that "Generally, residents do not need to take any special precautions before or after the fogging".   We believe this is blatent disregard for the health of special populations, likely everyone.





Our recommendations below for protecting yourself and your family are taken from the WONDERFUL article by folks at ToxicsAction.  See the article HERE.
(Our comments are in the parentheses)


1. Keep windows closed during and immediately after spraying. If possible, also turn off air conditioners (that circulate outdoor air back inside).
2. Stay inside and keep children and pets inside during spraying and until the next morning after spraying.
3. Bring in or cover portable outdoor furniture, toys, laundry, pet dishes and tools.
4. Cover larger outdoor items such as barbecue grills or sand boxes. Swing sets and items that cannot be covered should be rinsed (or wiped down)  thoroughly after the spraying.
5. Cover fish ponds because pesticides are highly toxic to fish (and other aquatic life).
6. Cover vegetable (and fruit) gardens if you can with plastic sheeting; wash any exposed vegetables before storing, cooking or eating.
7. Remove shoes when entering the home after spraying because pesticides can be tracked indoors and remain toxic for months in synthetic carpet fibers. Pesticides used for mosquitoes are most easily degraded in direct sunlight and are sheltered when inside where they do not degrade quickly.
8. Hose off (or wipe down) window screens, door handles and hand railings after spraying occurs to avoid direct contact.


Please contact us to help stop the fogging of toxic pesticides.  We need help with research, protests, printing flyers/signs, contacting and collecting professional letters/testimonials, etc etc.


Please help us stop this blatant misuse of our County Parcel tax funds, damage to our health and the environment. 


References: 

“Latest West Nile Virus Activity in California,” last modified July 29, 2014,  California Department of Public Health West Nile Virus Website, http://westnile.ca.gov/

Michael R. Reddy, Andrew Spielman, Timothy J. Lepore, David Henley, Anthony E. Kiszewski, and Dr. Paul Reiter. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. Summer 2006, 6(2): 117-127. doi:10.1089/vbz.2006.6.117.

 Marcombe S, Darriet F, Tolosa M, Agnew P, Duchon S, et al. (2011) Pyrethroid Resistance Reduces the Efficacy of Space Sprays for Dengue Control on the Island of Martinique (Caribbean). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 5(6): e1202. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001202

Pyrethroids: a new threat to marine mammals?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22796891  published 2012

“Material Safety Data Sheet, Zenivex E4 RTU,” issued July, 2010.
http://www.sccgov.org/sites/vector/Documents/2012.Zenivex%20E4%20MSDS.pdf



Saturday, July 12, 2014

Rebuttal to Mercury's article 7/11/14

See the Mercury News article, Click HERE  

Below is the rebuttal posted in comments to the Mercury article online:  

I’d like to know which test Vector used when they “identified that…. West Nile Virus had struck again”?   From my research, there are 2 types of tests that Vector uses.  The first test simply identifies IF the bird had an immune response to WNV in it’s lifetime.  This does NOT imply the cause of death, as birds like humans can have the disease and never have any symptoms, but will show positive to a test for WNV antibodies after the first infection.   The second test shows if there is an active infection of WNV in the bird. However, this still does not imply cause of death.  As with influenza, when some people get very sick, it’s not due to the flu virus, but to secondary infections that are often due to weakened immune systems.  In the case of birds, their immune systems are weakened by pesticides.  Isn’t that a catch 22?  
The very thing Vector is using because of “infected birds” is actually causing the birds deaths and likely, NOT the WNV that they are “suspicious” of.   Pesticides can kill 72 million or more birds per year.  A New York study found that common household pesticides were responsible for more bird deaths than WNV.  Pesticides are the 4th highest cause of bird deaths after high-tension wires, feral cats, and flying into windows.  

So, the “infected” bird count is higher this year.  Does that really mean that the rate of infection among humans will go up too?  Or is it actually an indication that the WNV is becoming endemic here?  Meaning,  more and more birds (like humans too) will have a mild infection and then will carry the antibodies to WNV for the rest of their lives.  Then, is it the constant pesticide exposure (exacerbated in a drought by less water availability and more concentrated lawn and mosquito pesticides in the water) that is really killing the birds?  

It is not right to make assumptions about the cause of bird deaths to justify spending County parcel tax funds to spray toxic pyrethroid (synthetic nerve toxin) pesticides on private homes, gardens, pets, and even people.  Parman from Vector states that only 1% of mosquitoes are infected with WNV.  If the infection rate in the vector (mosquitoes) is that low, how can finding just 1 mosquito justify fogging 1000s of people?   And, we are given no choice in protecting our families, as Vector does NOT allow opting-out.

Yes indeed Santa Clara County does stand out among the neighboring counties.  It seems our Vector Control spends more of our parcel tax funds on fogging (which has been shown to be ineffective at controlling the spread of WNV by a Harvard study) than on stopping the breeding of mosquitoes to begin with.   When was the last time you read anything from the County telling you to remove standing water every week, or advising you to ask for free mosquito fish for unused pools and ponds?  These are the proven methods for stopping the mosquito breeding cycle,  by stopping the mosquito larvae which take 7 days in standing water to become adults.  

And as Robert nicely stated in his comment, fogging actually increases the mosquitoes.  Not only does it kill natural predators and is ineffective at controlling mosquito populations, but also pyrethroid pesticides are known to create resistance in mosquitoes.  Just like there are bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics, Vector is creating resistance in mosquitoes from the frequent unnecessary foggings.    The foggings only kill the few adult mosquitoes  that happen to fly into the fog.  The type of mosquitoes that carry WNV are active at dusk and dawn, so why would Vector fog at 11pm-3am when most of the targets are hiding in bushes and will not get killed by the fog?  In fact when we looked at the pre-fogging mosquito counts that Vector supplied from last year and this year, even if the mosquito count went down after a fogging, then next pre-fog count was much higher than the ones before.  This means the adult population is continuing to increase, because it is not effectively controlled by killing adults.  Vector needs to focus on killing mosquito larvae, by clearing standing water.

I’d like to see the proof that Parman bases his claim that “in 30 years of fogging, there hasn't been a documented case of the spray harming anyone”.   In fact, the EPA only approved this particular pesticide, Zenivex E4 with the pyrethroid Etofenprox, in 2008 for use as ULV adulticide.   Maybe he’s referring to malathion spraying from the 80s?  I know there were documented cases of harm from malathion.  What about all the scientific studies that show that pesticides are harmful to our health?  The label for Zenivex even states “Hazardous to humans and domestic animals”.  Parman’s quote seems very misleading.

I would also like to see the proof that Parman has based this quote  on, "It's not known for knocking out anything bigger than a housefly".  The product label states that it is toxic to bees.  Bees are clearly bigger than a housefly.  Parman also said to me during a phone conversation, that it would kill a bee if it flew into the fog.   Isn’t the County held accountable for telling residents the truth about a chemical that is being forced on us?  Plus Parman told me on the phone that “there is no residue, because it’s Ultra Low Volume”.  However, the County Department of Environmental Health Manager Jim Blamey told me that there IS a residue and that they don’t measure post-fogging residue toxicity, because they believe that the manufacturer claims it’s safe.  However, even at ULV application rates, the residue is likely still a sub-lethal dose for bees.  The pesticide has a half-life of 4.5 days (time it takes for half of it to degrade).  And it is known that it takes 3 half-lives to degrade completely.  So, the pesticide persists for 2 weeks.  Since a bee can visit 1000s of flowers in a day, in less than 10 days after a fogging, a bee can get a sub-lethal dose that would disable it from flying back to the hive.

The current statistics of WNV infection in humans simply do NOT justify the use of an ineffective, toxic pesticide fogged all over residents.  There are NO human cases of WNV in Santa Clara County this year, and only 2 cases last year.  Yes, many cases may go unidentified BECAUSE for 99% of the people it is a very mild infection.   Parman says that "Even its mild form averages 16 days off work", but that doesn’t make sense if most people who get infected never have symptoms or have mild symptoms like a cold or flu.  

The choice to expose yourself should be that, a choice, but since Vector does not make much of an effort to inform the residents of the foggings, we lose the ability to make that choice.  Further, Parman states in his email and website announcements about upcoming fogging dates, that “Generally, residents do not need to take any special precautions before or after the fogging.”  This lacks the necessary information for making an informed choice.  County should be obligated to give the name of the pesticide product and active ingredient, as well as a warning for special populations with access to more information if residents want to protect themselves or their families and pets.  The special populations include: babies, pregnant and nursing women, those with liver dysfunction and immune-compromised. Babies are vulnerable to pyrethroid pesticides as the toxin is broken down in the liver and babies’ livers are not fully developed.  Pregnant and nursing mothers would want to make an informed choice as the pesticide passes from mother to child via placenta and mother’s milk.  And, those with liver dysfunction or who are immune-compromised, would not be able to break down the pesticide.  Parman stated that mammals detoxify the pesticide.  However, these tests by the manufacturer were done on rodents in isolation, not on humans living in a toxic environment that would put a greater stress on the liver to breakdown not just a single toxin but a combination.  

Friday, July 11, 2014

7/17/14 Cupertino-Sunnyvale fogging

Since late May of 2014, this will be Fogging #11 in Santa Clara County. 

Vector Control will spray toxic pesticides from the back of trucks into the air, from 11pm to 4am on Thursday, Jul 17 in Cupertino and Sunnyvale.   See the map below.  See our advice for how to protect yourself,your families, and pets below.  Your comments to County Supervisors are making a difference!  Please continue to email, call, and write the Supervisors:   click here to help.


Santa Clara County Vector Control claims that they are fogging to stop West Nile Virus, BUT the research shows otherwise:


1.  There are NO human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Santa Clara County in 2014,  so there is NO emergency.
     The use of pesticide fogging was supposed to be a "last resort" in a human epidemic of WNV, to knock down lots of infected adult mosquitoes.  Currently, there is only 1 infected mosquito in every 100, but it only takes finding 1 infected mosquito for Vector to decide to fog again.  


2. It is not effective against the spread of West Nile Virus.  It only kills a few adult mosquitoes that happen to fly into the fog.  The others hiding in bushes will still be around.  All the larvae in the standing water around the yard will hatch the next day and the cycle starts over and over again. Also, the continued use of pyrethroids (the synthetic nerve toxin in the fogging pesticide) creates a pesticide-resistance in the surviving mosquitoes.  So, frequent foggings only create the need for an even more toxic, stronger pesticide if a mosquito-born disease emergency ever did strike our county.


3. Vector control gets over $6.8 million from OUR parcel taxes every year.  They should be spending those funds on educating people to clear standing water every week.  Or advertising the free mosquito fish for contained ponds and unused pools.  


4. The pesticide used is Zenivex E4.  The active ingredient is Etofenprox, a synthetic nerve toxin.  While most mammals might detoxify Etofenprox in isolation, we live in a pool of chemicals and many people do not have well functioning livers.  Research shows that this toxin DOES accumulate in the body, and also passes from mother to child via placenta and milk.


5.   The County Dept of Environmental Health told us that they rely on the manufacturer's testing and the EPA for safety.  It is not safe nor responsible to rely on one biased source of information when it concerns Public Health.  The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) shows toxicity levels from only rat and rabbit experiments.  It also states that this chemical is a known toxin for bees and aquatic life. The County assumes that it is safe for humans because falsely they believe mammals can detoxify the pyrethroid.


6.  It is toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.  The toxin has a half-life (the time it takes for half of it to degrade) of 4.5 days on the ground and plants.  It takes 3 half-lives to clear it.  So, the toxin is around for 2 weeks after each fogging.  This is enough that bees get a sub-lethal dose,  and cannot fly back to the hive.  Fogging also kills beneficial insects which stops the natural predators of mosquitoes and disables the interdependent lives in our ecosystem.


7. Special populations are not able to detoxify the toxin, and then it will accumulate in the body.  Babies livers are not developed yet.  Pregnant and nursing moms can pass the toxin to babies via placenta and milk.  Elderly, immune-compromised, and anyone with liver disfunction may not  detoxify the toxin. They should at least be warned by the County to take precautions to protect their families.  Currently, Vector states that "residents do not need to take any special precautions before or after the fogging".   We believe this is blatent disregard for the health of special populations, perhaps everyone.

8. Vector Control claims that many of the reported dead birds have died from WNV. But in reality, we have no idea if they even check for cause of death.  There are recent studies that show that most birds die from pesticide toxicity!   If Vector does not perform an autopsy or test for pesticides, then they can not truly know the cause of death.  Many birds, like humans, get WNV and never have symptoms, but will carry the immunity and test positive to the virus for the rest of their lives.  Simply testing if a bird has had WNV does not mean that it died from it.  



Our recommendations below for protecting yourself and your family are taken from the WONDERFUL article by folks at ToxicsAction.  See the article HERE.
(Our comments are in the parentheses)


1. Keep windows closed during and immediately after spraying. If possible, also turn off air conditioners (that circulate outdoor air back inside).
2. Stay inside and keep children and pets inside during spraying and until the next morning after spraying.
3. Bring in or cover portable outdoor furniture, toys, laundry, pet dishes and tools.
4. Cover larger outdoor items such as barbecue grills or sand boxes. Swing sets and items that cannot be covered should be rinsed (or wiped down)  thoroughly after the spraying.
5. Cover fish ponds because pesticides are highly toxic to fish (and other aquatic life).
6. Cover vegetable (and fruit) gardens if you can with plastic sheeting; wash any exposed vegetables before storing, cooking or eating.
7. Remove shoes when entering the home after spraying because pesticides can be tracked indoors and remain toxic for months in synthetic carpet fibers. Pesticides used for mosquitoes are most easily degraded in direct sunlight and are sheltered when inside where they do not degrade quickly.
8. Hose off (or wipe down) window screens, door handles, hand railings (and walkways up to front and back doors)  after spraying occurs to avoid direct contact.


Please contact us to help stop the fogging of toxic pesticides!  Every little bit helps.  

Thursday, July 3, 2014

7/10/14 Fogging Campbell, San Jose

     Since late May, this will be Fogging #10 in Santa Clara County. 
Vector Control will spray toxic pesticides from the back of trucks into the air, from
11pm to 4am on Thursday, Jul 10 in Campbell and San Jose, AGAIN.   See the map below.  See our advice for how to protect yourself,your families, and pets below.  Your comments to County Supervisors are making a difference!  Please continue to email, call, and write the Supervisors:   click here to help. 

Santa Clara County Vector Control claims that they are fogging to stop West Nile Virus, BUT the research shows otherwise: 

1.  There are NO human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Santa Clara County in 2014,  so there is NO emergency. 
      The use of pesticide fogging was supposed to be a "last resort" in a human epidemic of WNV, to knock down lots of infected adult mosquitoes.  Currently, there is only 1 infected mosquito in every 100, but it only takes finding 1 infected mosquito for Vector to decide to fog again.  

2. It is not effective against the spread of West Nile Virus.  It only kills a few adult mosquitoes that happen to fly into the fog.  The others hiding in bushes will still be around.  All the larvae in the standing water around the yard will hatch the next day and the cycle starts over and over again. Also, the continued use of pyrethroids (the synthetic nerve toxin in the fogging pesticide) creates a pesticide-resistance in the surviving mosquitoes.  So, frequent foggings only create the need for an even more toxic, stronger pesticide if a mosquito-born disease emergency ever did strike our county.

3. Vector control gets over $4 million from OUR parcel taxes every year.  They should be spending those funds on educating people to clear standing water every week.  Or advertising the free mosquito fish for contained ponds and unused pools.  

4. The pesticide used is Zenivex E4.  The active ingredient is Etofenprox, a synthetic nerve toxin.  While most mammals might detoxify Etofenprox in isolation, we live in a pool of chemicals and many people do not have well functioning livers.  Research shows that this toxin DOES accumulate in the body, and also passes from mother to child via placenta and milk.

5.   The County Dept of Environmental Health told us that they rely on the manufacturer's testing and the EPA for safety.  It is not safe nor responsible to rely on one biased source of information when it concerns Public Health.  The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) shows toxicity levels from only rat and rabbit experiments.  It also states that this chemical is a known toxin for bees and aquatic life. The County assumes that it is safe for humans because falsely they believe mammals can detoxify the pyrethroid.

6.  It is toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.  The toxin has a half-life (the time it takes for half of it to degrade) of 4.5 days on the ground and plants.  It takes 3 half-lives to clear it.  So, the toxin is around for 2 weeks after each fogging.  This is enough that bees get a sub-lethal dose,  and cannot fly back to the hive.  Fogging also kills beneficial insects which stops the natural predators of mosquitoes and disables the interdependent lives in our ecosystem.

7. Special populations are not able to detoxify the toxin, and then it will accumulate in the body.  Babies livers are not developed yet.  Pregnant and nursing moms can pass the toxin to babies via placenta and milk.  Elderly, immune-compromised, and anyone with liver disfunction may not  detoxify the toxin. They should at least be warned by the County to take precautions to protect their families.  Currently, Vector states that "residents do not need to take any special precautions before or after the fogging".   We believe this is blatent disregard for the health of special populations, perhaps everyone.

Here is the map of the pesticide fogging on 7/10/14:

Our recommendations below for protecting yourself and your family are taken from the WONDERFUL article by folks at ToxicsAction.  See the article HERE.
(Our comments are in the parentheses)

1. Keep windows closed during and immediately after spraying. If possible, also turn off air conditioners (that circulate outdoor air back inside).
2. Stay inside and keep children and pets inside during spraying and until the next morning after spraying.
3. Bring in or cover portable outdoor furniture, toys, laundry, pet dishes and tools.
4. Cover larger outdoor items such as barbecue grills or sand boxes. Swing sets and items that cannot be covered should be rinsed (or wiped down)  thoroughly after the spraying.
5. Cover fish ponds because pesticides are highly toxic to fish (and other aquatic life).
6. Cover vegetable (and fruit) gardens if you can with plastic sheeting; wash any exposed vegetables before storing, cooking or eating.
7. Remove shoes when entering the home after spraying because pesticides can be tracked indoors and remain toxic for months in synthetic carpet fibers. Pesticides used for mosquitoes are most easily degraded in direct sunlight and are sheltered when inside where they do not degrade quickly.
8. Hose off (or wipe down) window screens, door handles and hand railings after spraying occurs to avoid direct contact.

Please contact us to help stop the fogging of toxic pesticides.  We need help with research, protests, printing flyers/signs, contacting and collecting professional letters/testimonials, etc etc.

Please help us stop this blatant misuse of our County Parcel tax funds! 

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

7/8/14 Fogging- Cupertino

     Since late May, this will be Fogging #9 in Santa Clara County.
Vector Control will spray toxic pesticides from the back of trucks into the air, from 11pm to 4am on Tuesday, July 8th in Cupertino.   See the map below.  See our advice for how to protect yourself,your families, and pets below.  Your comments to County Supervisors are making a difference!  Please continue to email, call, and write the Supervisors:   click here to contact Supervisors 

Santa Clara County Vector Control claims that they are fogging to stop West Nile Virus, BUT the research shows otherwise: 

1.  There are NO human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Santa Clara County in 2014,  so there is NO emergency. 
      The use of pesticide fogging was supposed to be a "last resort" in a human epidemic of WNV, to knock down lots of infected adult mosquitoes.  Currently, there is only 1 infected mosquito in every 100, but it only takes finding 1 infected mosquito for Vector to decide to fog again.  

2. It is not effective against the spread of West Nile Virus.  It only kills a few adult mosquitoes that happen to fly into the fog.  The others hiding in bushes will still be around.  All the larvae in the standing water around the yard will hatch the next day and the cycle starts over and over again. Also, the continued use of pyrethroids (the synthetic nerve toxin in the fogging pesticide) creates a pesticide-resistance in the surviving mosquitoes.  So, frequent foggings only create the need for an even more toxic, stronger pesticide if a mosquito-born disease emergency ever did strike our county.

3. Vector control gets over $4 million from OUR parcel taxes every year.  They should be spending those funds on educating people to clear standing water every week.  Or advertising the free mosquito fish for contained ponds and unused pools.  

4. The pesticide used is Zenivex E4.  The active ingredient is Etofenprox, a synthetic nerve toxin.  While most mammals might detoxify Etofenprox in isolation, we live in a pool of chemicals and many people do not have well functioning livers.  Research shows that this toxin DOES accumulate in the body, and also passes from mother to child via placenta and milk.

5.   The County Dept of Environmental Health told us that they rely on the manufacturer's testing and the EPA for safety.  It is not safe nor responsible to rely on one biased source of information when it concerns Public Health.  The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) shows toxicity levels from only rat and rabbit experiments.  It also states that this chemical is a known toxin for bees and aquatic life. The County assumes that it is safe for humans because falsely they believe mammals can detoxify the pyrethroid.

6.  It is toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.  The toxin has a half-life (the time it takes for half of it to degrade) of 4.5 days on the ground and plants.  It takes 3 half-lives to clear it.  So, the toxin is around for 2 weeks after each fogging.  This is enough that bees get a sub-lethal dose,  and cannot fly back to the hive.  Fogging also kills beneficial insects which stops the natural predators of mosquitoes and disables the interdependent lives in our ecosystem.

7. Special populations are not able to detoxify the toxin, and then it will accumulate in the body.  Babies livers are not developed yet.  Pregnant and nursing moms can pass the toxin to babies via placenta and milk.  Elderly, immune-compromised, and anyone with liver disfunction may not  detoxify the toxin. They should at least be warned by the County to take precautions to protect their families.  Currently, Vector states that "residents do not need to take any special precautions before or after the fogging".   We believe this is blatent disregard for the health of special populations, perhaps everyone.
 A map of the area CLICK HERE.


Our recommendations below for protecting yourself and your family are taken from the WONDERFUL article by folks at ToxicsAction.  See the article HERE.
(Our comments are in the parentheses)

1. Keep windows closed during and immediately after spraying. If possible, also turn off air conditioners (that circulate outdoor air back inside).
2. Stay inside and keep children and pets inside during spraying and until the next morning after spraying.
3. Bring in or cover portable outdoor furniture, toys, laundry, pet dishes and tools.
4. Cover larger outdoor items such as barbecue grills or sand boxes. Swing sets and items that cannot be covered should be rinsed (or wiped down)  thoroughly after the spraying.
5. Cover fish ponds because pesticides are highly toxic to fish (and other aquatic life).
6. Cover vegetable (and fruit) gardens if you can with plastic sheeting; wash any exposed vegetables before storing, cooking or eating.
7. Remove shoes when entering the home after spraying because pesticides can be tracked indoors and remain toxic for months in synthetic carpet fibers. Pesticides used for mosquitoes are most easily degraded in direct sunlight and are sheltered when inside where they do not degrade quickly.
8. Hose off (or wipe down) window screens, door handles and hand railings after spraying occurs to avoid direct contact.

Please contact us to help stop the fogging of toxic pesticides.  We need help with research, protests, printing flyers/signs, contacting and collecting professional letters/testimonials, etc etc.

Please help us stop this blatant misuse of our County Parcel tax funds!