Tomorrow, Wednesday August 19, 2015, the city will spray a pesticide in Bay Ridge and other neighborhoods to the east, along Gravesend Bay, to kill mosquitoes and thus limit human exposure to the West Nile virus. This year, the virus has not yet been detected in Bay Ridge, but it was already found in Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and several other Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Spraying will begin as early as 8:30pm and end by 6am (Thursday). “For these sprayings, the Health Department will use a very low concentration of Anvil 10+10, a synthetic pesticide,” according to the city. “When properly used, this product poses no significant risks to human health.”
Still, that says nothing about the bees. And, anyway, officials recommend limiting direct exposure by staying inside, closing your air conditioner’s vent, moving toys and clothing indoors, and washing any clothing, skin or produce that may have been exposed.
Some people are more skeptical of Anvil 10+10’s efficacy and safety; a rundown of the counterargument to spraying can be read here. Additional resources are available at the No Spray Coalition’s website.
I live right into the danger zone
Why can’t they just release dragonflies or something? Always feel nervous about them spraying pesticides like that. And it probably kills all the bees :
I’m glad that HeyRidge isn’t buying the propaganda the NYC Department of Health is putting out about pesticides. Anvil 10+10, which will be sprayed tonight, is VERY dangerous and at least one of the components — piperonyl butoxide — is a suspected carcinogen. Please go to http://www.NoSpray.org to learn more about this. (The No Spray Coalition actually won a lawsuit against the City over the spraying 10 years ago, and now the City is backtracking on all the good work we’d accomplished.)
Even in the City’s own announcement, they write “the chemical in small doses poses no significant health risks to humans.” So if that’s true (it’s not!), why the concern in the next sentence: “Health officials recommend people stay indoors, close air conditioner vents, and remove children’s toys, equipment, and clothes from outdoor areas during spraying times”?
Again, the pyrethroid pesticide being used, Anvil 10+10, is an estrogen mimicker and even in so-called “low doses” — which is a nonsense description — is linked to breast cancer and causes lowered sperm-counts.
There are ways to address West Nile virus and mosquitoes without poisoning the entire population — an example of the “cure” being way, way, way worse than the disease.
Mitchel Cohen
Coordinator, No Spray Coalition
http://www.NoSpray.org
and
Brooklyn Greens / Green Party