Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Skeeter spraying in College Point

To reduce mosquito activity and the risk of West Nile virus, the Health Department will spray pesticide from trucks in parts of Queens from Wednesday August 8, 2007 at 8:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. the following morning, weather permitting. In case of bad weather, spraying will be delayed until Thursday, August 9 or the next possible night. No human cases of West Nile virus have been identified to date.

The areas to be sprayed in Queens follow:
College Point, Malba, Whitestone, Linden Hill, Flushing, Murray Hill

Bordered by Lax Avenue, Powells Cove, 138th Place, 138th Street, 14th Avenue and Cross Island Pkwy to the North; 149th Street, 25th Avenue, 150th Street, Bayside Avenue, 149th Street to the East; Sanford Avenue to the South; and College Point Boulevard, 123rd Street, and Lax Avenue to the West

Zip codes: 11357, 11355, 11354, 11356

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh crap!!!

Anonymous said...

Is the health dept. going to provide respirator masks to residents in the affected spraying areas?
I'd get my own if you're sensitive or allergic.

Talk to your family physician about the (present & future) dangers of exposure and make sure that you all take protective measures.

To be sure....leave the premises and go to a movie or museum in Manhattan.....then pray for rain after the spraying is complete.

Maybe this is the perfect time for a short holiday!

What chemical will they be using ?
Then look up its side effects on line.

Please take this matter very seriously folks!

Anonymous said...

Is it not funny, the areas with the greatest development are the areas with the greatest Con Ed failures?

Its great we have Crappie to report about this.

It would be interesting if we can find something about those oorganizing that mysterious anti-Con Ed march in Sunnyside last month - you know - the one that all the politicians showed up?

Hey march organizers: funding for your little effort by whom?

Anonymous said...

This is an issue that resonates highly with me. I was diagnosed with a blood cancer and suspect that the malathion spraying in 1999 may have contributed to the illness. As I have written in past blogs on this site, the spraying was done without setting up a control group to monitor the effects and other environmental impacts of the spraying program. While West Nile virus is a health issue of concern, is the cure worse than the disease?

The NYC Health Department has issued a PDF file about the toxic material (Anvil 10+10 Sumithrin) being used:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/wnv/msds1.pdf
This material is not as safe as the Health Department would have you believe. Note the caveat at the end of the PDF in section 15 "Other Information."

Another thing to consider is the fact that while the material is sprayed at night, when the sun comes up and starts to heat things up, the dew and freshly sprayed chemicals will evaporate into the air that is then breathed in by the people in the area sprayed. This population includes children, those with compromised immune systems, and just about everyone else.

And now here is something THEY really don't want you to know:
http://www.rense.com/general3/lieswnv.htm

Where are the outcries from public officials on this matter? Why is no one speaking out? I know that this YouTube clip has been posted before but for God's sakes, why is Mayor Doomberg so callous about the health of the people in my North Queens neighborhood?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TkV6yBXHODg

I hope this has openeed the eyes of the citizens of this borough and city to the imminent threat being imposed upon us by an unthinking and uncaring New York City administration!!!

Anonymous said...

I sent the following letter to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, via his website at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

Perhaps YOU would like to send a letter as well? (And if you are planning to visit NYC, you might add that you are reconsidering your plans due to NYC's announcement that it will begin mass-spraying of pesticides.)

Please cc your government officials as well.

Thanx.

Mitchel Cohen

*****************************************************
Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

I am deeply troubled by NYC's announcement that it will begin mass-spraying toxic pesticides in Queens to kill mosquitoes, beginning Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 8 pm.

Last April, NYC signed a settlement agreement in a lawsuit brought by the No Spray Coalition admitting that "pesticides may remain in the environment beyond their intended purpose, cause adverse health effects, kill mosquitoes' natural predators, increase mosquito resistance to the sprays, and are not presently approved for direct application to waterways."

The DOHMH contravenes that settlement by now stating that "there are no significant risks of adverse impact to human health associated with the proper use of this product," Anvil 10 + 10. This is not true.

"Anvil" belongs to a class of pesticides known as pyrethroids, which are endocrine disruptors. They mimic hormones such as estrogen, and may cause cancer. Anvil also contains the cancer-causing chemical piperonyl butoxide as well as benzene-related ingredients.

Spraying of pesticides is extremely dangerous to people's health as well as to the natural environment, and has long-term consequences. The City should re-consider this spraying immediately, and seek alternative, safe means to control mosquitoes.

Thousands of New Yorkers were severely sickened by the spraying in 1999 and 2000. A number of members of our coalition, including several of the plaintiffs, died from pesticide-related illnesses. Many suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) or Asthma caused or exacerbated by the spraying. The City administration must understand that pesticides are extremely dangerous to human health.

The DOHMH also tells parents to avoid using eucalyptus oil on small children, but says NOTHING about the common and extremely dangerous use of insect repellents containing DEET, especially on children. There are natural, safe ways for each person to ward off mosquitoes. You can get more information at http://www.NoSpray.org.

Mitchel Cohen, coordinator
No Spray Coalition


Mitchel Cohen
2652 Cropsey Avenue, #7H
Brooklyn, NY 11214
(718) 449-0037
mitchelcohen@mindspring.com

Anonymous said...

The city will be dropping nuculeur bombs on the borough, next, to get rid of the mosquitoes, which they're obsessed about eliminating. I mean really, I'd rather take my chances with West Nile virus than with cancer like this poor victim here got. (Sorry to hear about that. Hope all turns out okay.)

Anonymous said...

Spray is not that dangerous. However do you want West Nile Virus? Do you want to have to worry about your elderly relatives contracting it? Do you like dead birdies? How many nursing homes, and retirement communities are in the areas where they are spraying?

The more skeeters they get, the better!

Anonymous said...

"Spray is not that dangerous."

You really need an English lesson. When you learn how to read and write, try this:
http://www.rense.com/general3/lieswnv.htm