"Intelligent Pest Management (IPM) protects our families, our property
and our environment from pests and pesticides."

On August 24, MA DPH officials presented the following at the Newton Health Board Advisory Committee meeting. :

In a given population where WNV-bearing mosquitoes are present, 3% of the population is likely to become infected. (Based on the Queens, NY study.)

Of those infected, 95% to 98% will have no symptoms.

Of the 2% to 5% of those infected who have symptoms, most are mild; and,

Less than 1% of those (2%-5%) are at risk for serious illness or death. And, according to the DPH officials, those at risk for severe illness or death from WNV are either in a severe immuno-compromised condition or health-impaired elderly.

If you apply these numbers to Newton's population of approximately 80,000 people, in a worst case scenario of universal exposure, this would result in 1 person becoming seriously ill or potentially dying from the WNV infection.

Given, 80,000 people

• 3% (2400) of the population is likely to be infected
• 2% - 5% (48 to 120) of those infected are likely to develop detectable symptoms
• <1%(0.48 to 1.2) are at risk for severe illness or death

Of course, the fear of something new and unknown seems extremely threatening to people. For sixty years chemical companies have indoctrinated the public to think that all insects are dangerous and chemicals are a quick way to control insect-borne diseases.

People need information and education, not pesticides. GDC/N is eager to share studies describing evidence of the developmental, reproductive, and neurotoxic problems caused by these types of pesticides.

UNACCEPTABLE RISKS The very young, the immuno-compromised, and the elderly already suffer most from the ubiquitous use of pesticides in our daily environment. We know that there are critical windows of exposure for the developing fetus where exposure at even tiny levels of toxins can be devastating. Not only are we all at risk from acute exposures, we are made increasingly vulnerable to the invisible but growing accumulation of toxins in our water, soil, air and bodies.

All pesticides are designed to sabotage biological mechanisms. Exposure to pesticides, alone or in combination, can have invisible yet life-altering effects on individuals and create serious medical and public health implications for the community as a whole. The small risk of infection and the even smaller risk of severe illness or death from WNV does not justify the use of toxic chemicals at this time.

Even the experts do not agree that spraying will really protect anyone from WNV. Furthermore, the spraying may actually increase the risk of exposure to WNV if it leads people to a false sense of security. They may discount the need for personal precautions.

ALTERNATIVES The Green Decade Coalition/Newton encourages ongoing efforts to educate the public about mosquito control alternatives to spraying. We recommend that there be a designated contact in the health department who citizens can call to report stagnant water in catch basins, pothole puddles or other stagnant water sites. We urge the city to respond to these calls with the least-risk larvicides available. We urge ongoing education about personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Newton should be guided by its citywide policy that allows pesticides only as a last resort in an emergency. We believe there is no immediate public health crisis nor serious risk of illness or death related to WNV to people in Newton.

PROPER NOTIFICATION: However, if David Naparstek, Newton’s Health Commissioner, decides to spray pesticides, we ask that the city's notification:

• Include a complete description of the potential hazards of exposure
• Avoid any safety claims as prohibited by federal law.
• Provide both the acute and potential long term risks of pesticide exposure to the developing fetus, young children, the elderly, and other "sensitive" people in the targeted neighborhoods.
• Include any information that is known about the secret so-called "inert ingredients" in the pesticide product and/or a clear statement that there are ingredients in the pesticide that are unknown, even to public health agencies.
• Urge people to report to physicians any symptoms they suspect may be related to the use of the pesticides.
• Be clear about the limited evidence that the spraying will actually control the mosquitoes and should reinforce the need for personal precautionary measures.
• Tell us how to register our homes as NO Spray Zones.