Northern California, April, 2008 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) plans to resume “emergency” aerial pesticide spraying of two synthetic pheromones, called Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F, over the Central California Coast and the San Francisco Bay Area. The program began in 2007 in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties using a pheromone-based pesticide dispersed from low-flying planes in microscopic plastic capsules. The spraying could go on for months and years— possibly through mid-2010.
The CDFA’s campaign is to eradicate a species called the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM), which they claim is a threat to agriculture. The spray is planned to repeat monthly for up to 5 years or indefinitely until LBAM is eradicated. The LBAM eradication program also involves other treatments, including painting of telephone poles with permethrin, a carcinogenic and neurotoxic pesticide that is also toxic to honeybees and aquatic species. CDFA has not completed an Environmental Impact Report on the spray program.
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What are the Health Risks of the Spray?
More than 600 in Santa Cruz and Monterey County reported adverse health reactions following the spraying in 2007. The active ingredient in the spray, a synthetic moth pheromone, has not been tested for long-term human toxicity. Other ingredients in the spray are carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive effectors linked to birth defects, liver toxins, dermal irritants, unsafe to inhale, and toxic to aquatic species. The microscopic plastic capsules in which the pesticide is sprayed break down over 30 days, releasing the pesticide. They are small enough (<10 microns) to be inhaled into the deep lung where they cannot be expelled. The aerial spray poses particular risk to sensitive populations - children, the elderly, pregnant women, those who work outdoors, and those with chronic disease, as well as to those in the homeless population who do not have access to shelter.
The Moth Does Not Threaten Agriculture or Native Plants
CDFA has repeatedly stated publicly that LBAM has done no documented crop damage in California. Entomologists have testified that, based on its range, LBAM has likely been in California for 30-50 years. A recent scientific report on LBAM in New Zealand (one of the places the moth first appeared) states that LBAM there “is considered a minor pest that does not cause economically significant crop damage or have detrimental effect on native flora”. The report goes on to say that LBAM is 80-90% controlled by natural predators in New Zealand, and the same predators are present in California - including birds, spiders, wasps, flies, beetles, lacewings, and earwigs. These facts, taken together, indicate that there is no “emergency” and likely no need to use pesticides to control LBAM.
Even if LBAM posed a problem in the state, scientists say that eradication has no chance of success given the range over which LBAM is established and the fact that pheromone spray has never been used successfully to eradicate a pest.
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What Efforts are Under Way to Stop the Spray?
There are five State Assembly bills and resolutions (AB 2763, AB 2760, AB 2765, AB 2892, ACR 117) and several pending lawsuits, while 18 city governments have passed resolutions against the aerial spray. Numerous environmental and health organizations taken official stands in opposition, and we at Citizens for Health have joined in coalition with organizations like Stop the Spray, the California Alliance to Stop the Spray, and Don'tSprayCalifornia.org to protect Californians from aerial pesticide spraying.
Progress - so far . . .
Fortunately, due to citizen pressure and a legal ruling on a lawsuit brought by the City/County of Santa Cruz against CDFA that has temporarily halted the LBAM spraying over Santa Cruz County, Governor Schwarzenegger halted spraying statewide until August 17, 2008.
However, he said further "acute testing" of the spray's impact on humans would be complete by then and the Governor expressed confidence that the tests would clear the way for spraying to resume in late August.
Clearly, there's much more to be done. Send a letter to your Assemblyperson today and urge him/her to support pending legislation that would stop the spraying and advocate for integrated pest management as a less toxic and intrusive alternative.
Click below to tell your legislators to stop the spray!
Visit Stop the Spray to learn more and sign their petition. You'll find great resources like fact sheets, flyers, a media archive, and a community action toolkit, as well as opportunities to link up with allied organizations.
