Health Alert Pesticide Spraying Health Hazard Alert By Lawrence Rose M.D., M.P.H., former Senior Public Medical Officer for Cal-OSHA and part of the UCSF Occupational/Environmental Medicine Department. "The California Department of Food and Agriculture plans to aerial spray a microencapsulated pesticide to eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth" (LBAM). The proposed pesticides, "Checkmate LBAM-F or Checkmate ORL-F", contain a moth synthetic chemical pheromone combined with eight other chemicals in a plastic polyurea polymer capsule. These microscopic capsules (25 micron, and breaking down to under 10 micron) would be sprayed over heavily populated areas for 9 months of the year." Timing: In Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties they will resume spraying in August 2008. In San Francisco, they will commence spraying in October of 2008. Immediate Health Effects Immediate short term acute health concerns are to be expected from the known toxicology of several of the chemicals in the Checkmate formulation mix and in the polyurea plastic particulate capsule. Over 643 recorded health complaints were associated with the September, October, and November spraying in Monterey and Santa Clara Counties. These short term complaint symptoms are consistent with known toxicology scientific information of the ingredients of Checkmate. These ingredients include irritants, sensitizers, nervous system disrupters, endocrine disruption, allergens, and hypersensitivity induction. The spraying of citizens in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties represented a violation of 23 Universal Human Rights. Those Most At Risk The population most at risk for acute reactions are asthmatics, infants, children, the elderly, patients with borderline cardiopulmonary compensation (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, marginal pulmonary vital capacity), congestive heart failure, cardiovascular abnormalities, angina, those with environmental illness, and medically debilitated patients. It is critical that patients with such medical profiles be protected from airborne toxic particles. Close