Scourge/Resmethrin Insecticide By Daniel Diamond

What is Scourge? An insecticide to kill mosquitoes

Resmethrin and piperonyl butoxide act together to kill mosquitoes Prevent West Nile and encephalitis Based in petroleum by-products 1/4 of the solution “inert ingredients” Somewhat Controversial! “trade secrets” from EPA-ingredients do not need to be chemically described

Harming Human Health Short-term: eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs Long-term: affect the nervous system Tremors, loss of coordination, tingling, numbness Experiments on rats and other data show Resmethrin may cause liver damage and maybe thyroid cancers Piperonyl Butoxide- classified by EPA as human carcinogen

“Inert Ingredients” Harming Human Health Contains powerful carcinogen benzene Cause of leukemia and other malignant cancers Respiratory problems-allergic responses, irritations, asthma, etc. However, not a more harmful chemical when combined with other solutions-not “synergistic”

Children Most Susceptible Important stage of development Logical Explanations Have more skin in regard to body weight Breathe more quickly Elderly too-lower immune system Toxin’s effect hightened

Harming the Environment Scary Fact: One thimbleful of Scourge kills acre of trout Applied 3x this rate Birds and bees severely affected Very harmful to marine life-runoff Fish, shrimp, etc.

Statistics Sometimes “inert ingredients” are % of pesticide 133 people in 9 states severely ill due to mosquito-killing pesticides, Mostly malathion, naled, sumithrin, and resmethrin

N.Y. Mosquito Control Argument: Pesticides needed 2000-New York City needed to prevent West Nile Schools, streets, sewers,…everything No Spray Coalition, activists angry Thousands of people sick N.Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation sue Illinois Mosquito Control Co.

Counter to N.Y. Story National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Conduct experiment to monitor population- level effects on asthma Monitored emergency department visits for respiratory problems Results: no increase in asthma rates!! Which is correct??

Credibility in Sources Articles conflicting for N.Y. story Some say pesticides just cause eye, throat irritation Others advocate cancerous chemicals in scourge or resmethrin

How to Reduce Exposure Use of Scourge and toxic materials not justified for nuisance control Kill larvae where they breed Larvicides more effective Enact public education, personal protection Dawn and Dusk, protective clothing, screens

How to Study the Problem Problem: How hazardous is Scourge/Resmethrin really? Concrete physical qualities of chemicals Nevermind suspicions Study organized, valid experiments Number of emergency department visits good Problem: How hazardous is Scourge/Resmethrin really? Only way to experiment on organisms without already having a sprayed area Observe area if already sprayed-N.Y.

Thank You