Monterey and Santa Cruz counties in California were ranked as two of the cleanest air California counties by the American Lung Association (ALA). So I went to explore, and learned all about aerial pesticide spraying. And the negative health impacts of aerial pesticide spraying for the light brown apple moth, which was not accounted for on the ALA's studies or web site but going on when I arrived, negatively impacting my health and many others.
Which is all to say, I have learned the hard way that many NGOs like the American Lung Association, while well-meaning, have their "narrow" focus that may not account for significant impacts.
(Aerial pesticide spraying with known carcinogens stopped around Aug. 2008 after hurting people and wildlife due to environmental and community activists. To read about what happened, keep going...)
I never thought when I started this blog in July 2006 that my search for clean air would lead to an education on nuclear storage leakage, paper mill pollution in otherwise "clean" air areas, water and soil toxic contamination from corporate and military dumping, and now...
I've created a new category, Aerial Pesticide Spraying.
If you live, or plan to visit California over the next two to three year period you must know that as of this writing, Governor Schwarzenegger plans to allow tens of millions of city dwellers to be sprayed like bugs with untested pesticides.
The pesticides were "tested" on Santa Cruz and Monterey County residents last year, and many got sick with asthma, and worse.
The spray is slated to begin this summer, and go on every thirty to ninety days during a three year period, and linger in the air, and our lungs, for up to 30 days at a time.
If Schwarzenegger thinks this spray will save our agricultural industry (it's debatable if farming is at risk due to the light brown apple moth or if the moth can even be eradicated) just think what it may do to our healthcare and tourism industries.
Below I've listed ingredients in the pesticide, and what we know about its effect on animals' fetuses, lungs, skin, brain, heart, kidneys...
My uncle's friend Larry Rose used to be a physician with OSHA, specializing in pesticides.
He sent below list of what's in the light brown apple moth's pesticide, currently slated to be sprayed over populations in
Santa Cruz, Monterey= June 1, 2008
San Francisco, Daly City, Oakland, Marin County=August 1, 2008.
And every 30-90 days spray thereafter until...
And unless we stop it.
Please, let's stop it.
For pending dates and to stay abreast of current actions, click The California Alliance To Stop The Spray
Regarding PR efforts for and against spray, I'll document research and information here.
Consider reading Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, she's an environmentalist who many years ago wrote the groundbreaking book, linking pesticides and our toxic life to increase in cancer and disease.
LBAM Pesticide Sprays' Toxic Additives 
References: U.S. National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health Data Base,
and/or Canadian Center for Occupational
Safety and Health and/or Manufacturers'
Material Safety Data Written Warnings and/or EU
International Program on Chemical Safety.
(Based upon Animal testing)
Ammonium Phosphate
Toxicities: Inhalation results
in pulmonary inflammation
2-hydroxy-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone
Toxicities: Kidney, ureter bladder, liver
lung, skin, eye and blood cell damage.
1,2-benzisothiazol-3-1
Toxicities: Gene damage, skin irritation and
allergic skin reaction. Increases allergic reaction to other chemicals
Butylated Hydroxytoluene
Toxicities: Fetal Damage and Genetic Damage.
Kidney Cancers. Brain, Central Nervous System, lung,
eye, liver, skin, urinary system and blood cell Damage
Sodium Phosphate
Toxicities: Endocrine and blood abnormalities.
Tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride
Toxicities: Behavioral abnormalities (Brain effects)
muscle weakness.
State's "Reassuring" Consensus statement on
Human Health Aspects of the Aerial Application of
Microencapuslated pheromones
to combat the Light Brown Apple Moth.
October 31, 2007. DPR, Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA),
with input from the Dept of Public Health.
Quotes:
A)This document is not intended to be
a detailed human health risk assessment.
B) We have not reviewed toxicity studies on all of
the specific active ingredients in LBAM
pheromone products. (comment: and no tests on
so-called "inert additives")
C) This statement (of our safety evaluation) refers
primarily to the pheromone active ingredients used
in emitter devices or aerial application over
agricultural areas, rather than aerial application
over populated areas.
State CDFA "Definition" of an
LBAM "Host Species"
"A species of vegetation on which the LBAM has
been reported to be present"
To read more about what you can do, click here.
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