September 23, 2002.
Green Party activists draw attention to effect of toxins in mosquito spraying
By Phil Sutin
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Activists allied with the Green Party have objected to St. Louis County's spraying a pesticide to kill mosquitoes. They raised the issue last week at a public forum conducted by St. Louis County Councilman Kurt Odenwald, R-Shrewsbury, in Webster Groves.

Because some female mosquitoes carry the West Nile virus that can kill people, the county's mosquito-control efforts have become more important. Robin Barrett of St. Louis, a Green Party activist, said the spray included one of many toxins that give her health problems.

"I have multichemical sensitivity," she said. "I need to be careful where I go."

The county should concentrate its efforts on eliminating mosquito larvae, she added. "Use less toxins," she said. "Help solve the problem."

Joan Bradford, who is in charge of efforts to control mosquitoes and rats for the county, discussed at length the county's efforts to kill larvae.

Her staff checks 6,000 sites in the county for mosquito larvae and puts out charcoal cubes with Altostat, the trade name for a bacteria that disrupts the digestive system of mosquitoes but does not affect other animals. Her agency also urges the public to remove standing water, the breeding grounds for mosquitoes, such as rainwater in the bottom of open garbage cans or in clogged gutters. Despite these efforts, spraying with the pesticide permethrin is necessary because many larvae become adult mosquitoes, she said. She said federal officials considered permethrin safe. The county, she noted, used a very small amount in its spray.

Odenwald said he supported the county's mosquito-control efforts. He invited the activists to explain their concerns to his office and to provide more information. "The county uses spraying as a last resort," he said.

On Friday, Odenwald said he had asked health officials to put the county's mosquito spraying schedule on its Web site so people concerned about the spraying's effect on them could react in time.

After the meeting, the activists circulated a Green Party handbill opposing spraying. "The massive use of pesticides may become a classic case of a cure being worse than the disease," it said.

Terri Zeman of Brentwood is the Green Party's candidate for county executive in the election on Nov. 5. Chad Parmenter of Maplewood is the Green Party's candidate running against Odenwald and Daniel "Tim" Reardon, a Democrat from Grantwood Village, for the 5th District seat on the County Council.

Don Fitz of University City, the Green spokesman on toxin issues, said the party did not want to confront Odenwald politically at the forum. "We want to work with him," he said.

Fitz urged the county to conduct a forum where officials can hear from experts and others favoring and opposing spraying and then set its policy. Odenwald said he hoped the council's Justice and Health Committee, which he heads, could hold a meeting to discuss the spraying issue.

Reporter Phil Sutin:\E-mail: psutin@post-dispatch.com\ Phone: 314-863-2812 Monday, September 23, 2002