From: Jenn
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 8:52 PM
Subject: Mosquito Spraying Concerns

Hello--

I wanted to let people know some things about the mosquito spraying in reaction to the West Nile situation that you may not be aware of, but that might be affecting you or other people around you. There has been quite a bit of spraying in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens about a week ago. Although I was not aware when the spraying was going on in Brooklyn (schedules are posted less than 48 hours before spraying happens), I started having a bad reaction a few days afterwards, and only learned about the spraying today (9/13/02). I think it's possible that the really strong winds on Wednesday may have had something to do with spreading the poisons around.

As somebody whose life has been severely and adversely affected by chemical exposure, I am concerned about this issue and the effects on our health. I am hoping to raise people's awareness a little, and am asking you to consider the likelihood that feeling ill right now might be something other than just a cold. If your symptoms might be related to a pesticide reaction, please consider finding a way to report that possibility to a doctor or an agency or both. It would be great for the city to have more accurate statistics on all angles of the West Nile virus health issue.

These are some of the symptoms I've experienced the last three days or so: sore throat, sinuses (sneezing, swelling, and runny nose), extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating (or a fuzzy-minded, out-of-it feeling), headache, fever-like aches, muscle and joint pain and aches, and difficulty moving around. There is also a funny taste in my mouth and my eyes are itchy. Several friends of mine in the area are saying that they have similar symptoms the last few days.

I first thought it might be a seasonal thing or allergies, but something wasn't making sense. If you have been experiencing cold-like symptoms and have been around these areas or in the path of the wind, consider that it might be a reaction to the pesticides, and even if it is only a suspected case, please consider reporting it officially. I'm reporting this to my doctor and also checking to see if there's a city health agency or advocacy that is compiling statistics on the effects of spraying on the population. Doctors are supposed to report suspected cases to the NYC Department of Health Poison Control Center (212-POISONS/764-7667) and the Pesticide Poisoning Registry (800-322-6850) http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/pdf/chi/chi21-1.pdf. If you know of other resources, please let me know.

I already have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), so am likely to be experiencing the effects more strongly than most. You can probably think of me as the canary in the mine, which is why I'm speaking up. A mild exposure to these chemicals once or twice is one thing, but repeated exposures (this is our third year) or concentrated ones can be severely damaging, especially in combination with other substances or already existing conditions. About 15% of the population has some form of sensitivity to chemicals, and children and women tend to be more susceptible in general (the latter due to the estrogen-like substances found in many pesticides).

These pesticides are serious business. They are classified as pyrethroids and organophosphates, and are listed as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Hazardous Materials (Hazmats). I recently watched a video of an MCS conference with a presentation by a researcher (Dr. Mohamed B. Abou-Donia, in the D.C. area, I believe) who has been studying Gulf War Veterans' Syndrome for the past ten years. They studied four of the substances most likely to be causative agents, each of which caused a mild to moderate reaction by themselves in test animals. However, when applied in combinations of two or more, the reactions and severity increased substantially. Two of those chemicals were Malathion and DEET (I don't remember the others). These have both been used or recommended for personal use by NYC in combating the mosquitoes over the past few years. This is the stuff of chemical warfare.

Pesticides and other chemicals similar to them (which can be found in carpets, solvents, adhesives, etc.) can be neurotoxides. They affect cognitive functioning (memory, learning, attention) as well as the lungs, digestive system, joints and muscles, and other systems. A high enough exposure can be devastating to a person's functionality and life. There are effects on the soil and water, on plants, on animals, fish, and insects, and the food chain. This is only a very brief description of the sources and the results of being exposed to pesticides and the like. For more information, I recommend the following:

Chemical Injury Information Network, at http://www.ciin.org.

NYC West Nile info at http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/html/wnv/wnvhome.html
(although I find some of their information on the effects of the chemicals is presented on the innocuous side)
For spraying schedules, see
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/html/wnv/wnv02spray.html.
For city information on Anvil/Sumithrin,
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/pdf/wnv/msds1.pdf.

I also keep some information along with updates on my situation at http://www.themask.org.

I suspect that pesticide spraying may be causing more harm to many more people than the West Nile disease in the first place. I appreciate the city's concerns about the illness, but feel that this choice of responses is an over-reaction. I grew up in a country where mosquitoes and other insects carried deadly diseases, but with simple precautions like mosquito net and natural repellants, the situation was survivable. There were probably a variety of options at least as effective as spraying and less harmful to ourselves and the environment.

The wry thought crossed my mind that if I were a terrorist, there would be almost no scheme more brilliant than infesting a highly populated area with a difficult-to-control pest-borne disease, causing local officials to react by pumping toxic chemicals out over their own people and lands. In addition to the disease itself and an untraceable source, you would have chemical warfare not only carried out, but paid for and justified by the targets themselves. I also imagine that if it had been a terrorist who somehow released these chemicals over the city, the information we'd be receiving as to the danger and their effects might be a little different.

If others you know (including children) are feeling unwell these days, please alert them to the possibility it could be a pesticide reaction. Feel free to pass this information along.

Thank you and take care,
Jenn