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 60-96% of pesticide

133 people in 9 states severely ill due to mosquito-killing pesticides, 1999-2002 Mostly malathion, naled, sumithrin, and

resmethrin

N.Y. Mosquito Control

Argument: Pesticides needed 2000-New York City needed to prevent

West NileSchools, streets, sewers,…everythingNo Spray Coalition, activists angryThousands of people sickN.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 asthmaMonitored emergency department visits for

respiratory problemsResults: 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 goodProblem: 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