Pesticide Alert: Toxic Spraying This Wednesday, July 29th starting at 11:00PM in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale

Last Summer Santa Clara County’s Vector Control District sprayed 19 times, up to 3 cities a night with a toxic chemical in residential areas. And this summer they’re doing it again!

In spite of specific instructions from the County Board of Supervisors to find a non-toxic method of controlling West Nile Virus, Vector Control will be spraying areas of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara this week.

A map of the area to be treated can be seen HERE.

The pesticide Vector Control is using is Zenivex E4, “96% undisclosed trade secret.” It kills bees and the predators of mosquitoes: frogs, fish, birds, mosquito eaters, dragonflies, other mosquito predators including likely bats, leaving just the mosquitoes and black flies to multiply without predators. It does not kill the mosquito larva so mosquitoes rebound within hours. It is 100% counterproductive.

The pesticide Zenivex E4 according to the MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET says:
“HAZARDOUS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS, HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, CAUSES MODERATE EYE IRRITATION. AVOID CONTACT WITH EYE, SKIN OR CLOTHING”... “toxic to bees, aquatic organisms and invertebrates.”
A very small amount is toxic and hazardous! View the MSDS HERE.

As stated on this official government website, they don’t spray for mosquitoes (adulticide) because scientific studies show that aerial spraying is not effective and non target and beneficial species such as bees, spiders and the praying mantis are killed as well. Additionally, pesticides residues linger in the environment, causing asthma, cancer and certain birth defects.
http://doh.dc.gov/service/west-nile-virus-overview

Vector Control District was given explicit instructions by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to find non-toxic alternatives to the pesticide spraying. Nevertheless and absolutely against the Board directives, Vector Control is now scheduling massive pesticide spraying this Wednesday night!

Please kindly email the Board of Supervisors to tell them to STOP Santa Clara County Vector Control from spraying a toxic pesticide THIS WEDNESDAY.
Board of Supervisors’ Emails
Dave Cortese dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org
Mike Wasserman mike.wasserman@bos.sccgov.org
Joe Simitian supervisor.simitian@bos.sccgov.org
Cindy Chavez cindy.chavez@bos.sccgov.org
Ken Yeager supervisor.yeager@bos.sccgov.org

For further information and news about our efforts to stop the spraying, contact Healthy Alternatives to Pesticides at http://www.healthyalternativestopesticides.com/