Re: Malathion

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

A possible way to stop the spraying...

    The way we stopped this madness in Acton, MA (population 18,000) is that
in addition to building an anti-spray movement, I sent an open letter (in
the media) to the town official responsible for the spraying that I would
sue him and the town if they happened to spray when my father was visiting
me (at the time he was in his late 80s and had consumed alcohol regularly in
his earlier years, so undoubtedly had liver damage). Further, I suggested to
all Acton residents that they think about whether they had lost elderly
loved ones at the times of spraying in the past, and to sue the town
official and the town for wrongful death.

      At the next town meeting, the town official responsible for spraying
said that he was opposed to spraying and that he now favored IPM (integrated
pest management). He never spoke to me again...

     The most ridiculous thing is that NYC, by hiring the homeless to rid
the city of mosquito-breeding media, could clean up NYC, establish some
semblance of cleanliness in communities that don't have the resources to do
so, restore some self-worth among the homeless, and save New Yorkers from
being poisoned. But, no, it is much more important to "solve" the problem by
spraying every New Yorker with nerve gas to kill the mosquitoes right away.
Malathion has a relatively short "life" as an effective insecticide (it is
persistent in the environment, however) so they will  have to spray and
respray and respray. This is craziness.


Regards
Jon

----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph R Parrish Jr <JoeParrish@CompuServe.COM>
To: dioxin-L <dioxin-l@essential.org>
Cc: Air-Mail <air-mail@igc.apc.org>; ENVIRONMENT-L (Cornell)
<ENVIRONMENT-L@cornell.edu>; hcwh-south <hcwh-south@essential.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 1999 12:13 AM
Subject: Malathion


> Does this look like something that should be sprayed over
> six million people?
> Joe Parrish
> NY/NJ Environmental Watch
> New York City
>
> New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
> HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE FACT SHEET
>
> Common Name: MALATHION
> CAS Number: 121-75-5
> DOT Number: NA 2783
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> HAZARD SUMMARY
> * Malathion can affect you when breathed in and by
> passing through your skin.
> * Malathion may cause mutations. Handle with extreme
> caution.
> * Contact can irritate the eyes.
> * Exposure can cause severe organophosphate poisoning
> with headache, sweating, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea
> and death.
> * High or repeated exposure may damage the nerves.
> IDENTIFICATION
> Malathion is a yellow to deep brown liquid with a skunk-like
> odor. It is an organophosphate insecticide available as
> wettable powders, liquid concentrates, dusts and aerosols.
> REASON FOR CITATION
> * Malathion is on the Hazardous Substance List because it
> is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, DOT, HHAG,
> NIOSH and EPA.
> * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance
> List because it is a MUTAGEN.
> * Definitions are provided on page 5.
> HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING
> EXPOSED
> The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers
> to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public
> employers to provide their employees with information and
> training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The
> federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200,
> requires private employers to provide similar training and
> information to their employees.
> * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely
> evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area
> air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results
> from your employer. You have a legal right to this
> information under OSHA 1910.20.
> * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health
> problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational
> diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you.
> RTK Substance number: 1150
> Date: March 1989 Revision: April 1997
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS
> OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit
> (PEL) is 15 mg/m 3 averaged over an 8-hour
> workshift.
> NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is
> 15 mg/m 3 averaged over a 10-hour workshift.
> ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is
> 10 mg/m 3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
> * The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When
> skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even
> though air levels are less than the limits listed above.
> * Malathion may cause mutations. All contact with this
> chemical should be reduced to the lowest possible level.
> WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE
> * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust
> ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust
> ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be
> worn.
> * Wear protective work clothing.
> * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to
> Malathion and at the end of the workshift.
> * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In
> addition, as part of an ongoing education and training
> effort, communicate all information on the health and
> safety hazards of Malathion to potentially exposed
> workers.
>