We are seeking alternatives that are safe for residents and the environment. We are calling for a comprehensive educational campaign including facts about the risk of West Nile Virus, as well as the short and long-term effects of pesticide use. NPAC and other concerned citizens should be integral to policy decisions on West Nile Virus spraying. West Nile Virus endanger our health, put our kids at risk, and poison our environment. The pesticide Scourge was sprayed throughout Jamaica Plain and surrounding neighborhoods several times last summer, entering our homes through open windows and coating children s playsets, our vegetable gardens, and pets.
Pesticides are toxic.
In fact, it is illegal to call any pesticide safe. 1 Pesticides are hazardous to our health, especially that of our kids. Exposure to Scourge can result in dizziness, itching and burning, loss of bladder control, and seizures. Ingredients in Scourge are considered possible human carcinogens and may cause liver damage. If infected mosquitoes are in your area, you have, on average, only a 1 in 300,000 chance of getting sick at all.