By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
What is worse than West Nile Virus? Is it, perhaps, the spray used to control the mosquitoes blamed for causing it?
Blaine, Norma, Noreen and Catherine Malquist, Charlynn Henry, Valeen Geldmacher, Kristine Robbins and Rene Sheets all offered comments to the city council concerning the use of permethrin.
Eighteen people attended the portion of the Nephi City Council meeting where the issue was discussed.
B. Malquist quoted from several sources concerning the use of the pesticide and the other "inert" ingredients included in the formula which manufacturers have kept secret.
One charge that mosquito abatement programs are necessary to protect from West Nile virus has been challenged as not being as great a threat as was supposed, said B. Malquist. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurological illness."
B. Malquist said that pyrethrins, extracted from the chrysanthemum plant, and their synthetic relatives, pyrethroids, are now used in thousands of insecticide products.
In an article at the Center for Public Integrity entitled, "'Safe' pesticides now first in poisonings," sates that : "An analysis of EPA data by the Center for Public Integrity, however, shows that the number of reported human health problems, including severe reactions, attributed to pyrethrins and pyrethroids increased by about 300 percent over the past decade. A Center review of the past 10 years' worth of more than 90,000 adverse-reaction reports, filed with the EPA by pesticide manufacturers, found that pyrethrins and pyrethroids together accounted for more than 26 percent of all fatal, 'major,' and 'moderate' human incidents in the United States in 2007, up from 15 percent in 1998. Although the number of fatalities was low--about 20 from 2003 to 2007--the amount of moderate and serious incidents attributed to the group — more than 6,000--is significantly greater than any other class of insecticide."
"...The data show that at least 50 deaths have been attributed to the chemicals since 1992—20 of them since 2003."
Kontrol 4-4 for mosquitoes is marketed as being 4.6 percent permethrin/4.6 percent PBO low odor oil formulation. Other ingredients are not disclosed by the manufacturers.
For that reason, on March 5, 2014, the Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, represented by Earthjustice, filed a complaint against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to complete rulemaking that would require pesticide manufacturers to disclose the inert ingredients on their pesticide product labels. An inert ingredient is any ingredient that is "not active," or not targeted to killing a pest.
"Secret Inert Ingredients pose pesticide danger," written by Richard Fagerlund, states that: "Active ingredients are the only components of the pesticide listed on the label."
Active ingredients also contain synergists, such as piperonyl butoxide to help the pesticide work more effectively.
Piperonyl butoixide, a very commonly used synergist, can be toxic to the liver and is a possible human carcinogen. Pesticides that contain pyrethrin and pyrethroids most often use piperonyl butoxide.
B. Malquist referred council members to information which can be found at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/; Utah Physicans for a Healthy Environment: http://www.uphe.org/; Dr. David Pimentel: http://vivo.cornell.edu/search, and www.askthebugman.com.
All these sites have pages of explanatory information. None of them support the use of these chemicals.
There were 24 violations of pesticide applications in Juab County, said B. Malquist. He said that, according to the warnings for application provided by manufacturers, those instructions were not followed in the county.
Because of C. Malquist's sensitivity to the insecticide, the county is not to spray within 1,500 feet of her home. That restriction was not being obeyed, he said.
"We are scared," said Henry. "People doing the spraying do not use masks and some kids have been taken on rides."
Both are against the regulations for use.
The residents of the community were also not being warned prior to the spraying, said C. Malquist.
"We have a right to know," she said. "It is a law."
The latest information released, said B. Malquist, was that expectant mothers exposed to the pesticide additive piperonyl butoxide (PBO) during pregnancy pass to their children a heightened risk of noninfectious cough at ages 5 and 6, according to researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH).
Wives of agricultural pesticide applicators have a significantly increased risk of developing thyroid disease, according to, "Pesticide Use and Thyroid Disease Among Women in the Agricultural Health Study," published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
N. Malquist read the story of Catherine Malquist to the council.
"In 2010, I realized what was happening to me and what was causing my illness (directly connected to the mosquito spray truck that sprayed for mosquitoes in our town)," said C. Malquist.
She is now wheel-chair bound and doctors think that the damage is long-term. The EPA said that C. Malquist's symptoms are consistent with pesticide poisoning from this particular spray.
In 2004, she had to be taken home from the county fair because she became ill. It had been sprayed for mosquitoes. Later, she discovered that the terrible reactions she was having were caused by the spraying.
Because the poison continued to be sprayed, she lived in a trailer at Palisades Park during the summer of 2012. The move to an area where there is no mosquito spraying worked and she was not as terribly ill. Last summer she stayed in Salt Creek Canyon but it was not as effective.
In Utah, Beaver, Piute, Wayne, Iron, Garfield, Kane, San Juan Counties, they do not have mosquito spraying programs. All other counties have some sort of program, said B. Malquist.
C. Malquist has to have an organic diet that consists of expensive foods that are grown pesticide-free. In addition, she has suffered tortuous pain and tingling in her feet and legs.
Robbins said that she had many of the same problems that C. Malquist has, just not to that extent, including the development of tumors. Her thyroid had also failed.
"I am in a lot of pain," she said. "We don't even know when they are spraying."
Steps could be taken to shut windows and take other precautions if victims of the spray knew when the spraying was happening, she said.
N. Malquist said that the local spraying truck was in her neighborhood sometime ago. She heard the noise and went out to find out what was happening. There was a truck driving over 50 mph and she contacted the police. Then she followed the truck trying to get a license plate number. It ended up being the spraying truck being driven by two young boys.
Those who are sprayed should wash immediately and dispose of their clothing.
C. Malquist said she thought she was being bullied. It was as bad as being allergic to peanut butter and having someone spread peanut butter on your body.
