RE: FOIA REQUESTS / HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

[Claire Gesalman <gesalman.claire@epa.gov>]

Donna Reilly wrote, "I would like to know what is being done regarding non-compliance of state protocols" regarding spraying of pesticides to combat mosquitoes in New York City in response to the West Nile virus outbreak.

EPA suggests controlling mosquitoes non-chemically whenever possible.  We have provided a variety of fact sheets on the pesticides used in mosquito control programs and other related information at this web site:  http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/skeeters.htm

Regarding recent issues about the chemicals used in New York:

In 2000, EPA and the New York State Department of Conservation took samples of the pesticide products used in the NYC area to ascertain whether they met the chemical requirements set at the time each pesticide was registered with the agency.  The resulting data  showed that two of the three pesticides used in New York City for mosquito control -- Anvil and Scourge (sumithrin and resmethrin) -- were actually UNDERformulated.  This means that they contained less of the toxic chemicals that kill mosquitoes than they were supposed to.  Obviously, in the case of these two pesticides, the risks to humans were not increased...if anything, they were decreased.   EPA did find, however,  that certain batches of Malathion product contained slightly higher amounts of iso-malathion -- a more toxic  isomer of Malathion -- than permitted.  The increase in iso-malathion was so slight, however, and the amount of the pesticide used for mosquito control relatively low (3 oz. per acre) that EPA does not believe the Malathion posed any additional risk to people.  EPA has taken enforcement actions against the three manufacturers of the products --  Cheminova, Clarke Mosquito Control and Aventis Environmental Science -- and the companies are meeting with the agency now to explain the problem and discuss potential financial penalties for misformulations.  As an aside, all potentially misformulated products were replaced by the companies at no cost to local health departments, and have been certified by the companies to meet all registration requirements.  EPA will be out again this year taking samples of the pesticides to make sure this is the case.

Regarding your comments about noncompliance with state protocols, as you may be aware, the New York State DEC earlier this year levied a $1 million penalty against Clarke Mosquito Control for failing to train some of its workers properly for pesticide applications, and for failing to provide them with certain worker protections.    

Both EPA and the State of New York take these and other pesticide violations very seriously, especially since, as we often state, no pesticide is 100% safe.  Every pesticide is a chemical designed to inflict harm, and must be handled and applied with caution.

EPA Region 2 has provided information to the public on activities in the region.  This web page has some of their information and contact information for local health departments in New York:  http://www.epa.gov/region02/epd/mosquito.htm

I hope this information is helpful.