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April 11, 2005
Metro Public Health Department
Lentz Public Health Center
311 23rd Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37203
To: Board of Health and the Metro Public Health Department
I urge the Metro Public Health Department to adopt and implement an Integrated Pest Management program for controlling mosquitoes that is based on a sound scientific protocol. As an ecologist, my concerns about the past use of spraying pesticides (in 2004) to kill adult mosquitoes harms efforts to control mosquitoes and is not effective at preventing the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV).
In addition to the potential human health risks of using pesticides containing synthetic pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide (endocrine disruptors that interfere with sex hormones, potential carcinogens that stimulate the proliferation of breast cancer cells, nervous and respiratory system toxins that aggravate allergies and asthma), the long-term effects of these chemicals on ecological systems is not well understood. Toxicity to bees, fish, and crustaceans has been documented for ANVIL, the commercial product containing synthetic pyrethins and piperonyl butoxide. The application of this pesticide is not targeted, so any insects encountering the fog mists may be killed. Insects play important roles in the environment, including the pollination of many plants that humans depend on (e.g., fruit trees and ornamental flowers). Fish and crustaceans not only have crucial functions in maintaining healthy ecosystems, they also serve as food sources for humans.
Another potential ecological problem is that insecticidal use can encourage the development of pesticide-resistant mosquitoes, much like we are currently observing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This phenomenon is especially likely when pesticides are not used to adequately kill mosquito populations. The spray patterns of 2004, as indicated on maps provided by No Spray Nashville, suggest that spraying was insufficient in the 1Ú4 to 1-mile radii around confirmed WNV-carrying mosquito sites. Furthermore, the pesticide discharged via fog mists might not hit many mosquitoes given the limited aerial range of the fog being emitted from the trucks as well as the limited persistence of the pesticide in the atmosphere (3-4 hours).
The limited occurrence of WNV in Nashville over the past few years and the spraying of ANVIL in areas with no confirmed WNV cases suggest that the spraying of this pesticide is haphazard and not conducted in a scientific manner. Instead, the patterns suggest that spraying occurs in areas with the most vocal citizens who are annoyed by mosquitoes and/or who have the most political clout. In addition to unnecessarily spreading these pesticides, haphazard spraying exposes the residents of Nashville to an even greater susceptibility to WNV since infected sites are not sufficiently controlled.
I therefore recommend the development of a written Integrated Pest Management plan for controlling mosquitoes that incorporates scientific principles, the education of citizens, the utilization of less risky mosquito-control methods, and research-informed applications of mosquito adulticides and larvacides. A sound plan would not only protect citizens from WNV but also from unnecessary exposure to a set of chemicals that continues to raise concerns in the scientific and medical professions. Such a plan would incorporate a more balanced perspective on the number of WNV deaths and illnesses in Nashville compared to the potential negative aspects of using synthetic pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide.
Regards,
A. Darlene Panvini
A. Darlene Panvini
Assistant Professor of Biology
Department of Biology
Belmont University
Nashville, TN 37212
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