We highly recommend that citizens take
advantage of the most effective and economic form of mosquito control
(source: the Center for Disease Control) - go outside, look for,
and dump standing water. See our Neighborhood Flyer for a
number of excellent mosquito control tips. Share our flyer with your
neighbors. Remember - a mosquito that cannot hatch cannot
bite!
BEWARE OF EXTERMINATING COMPANIES MAKING
PROMISES OF "MOSQUITO-FREE" OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS
There are some
new local franchises (like Mosquito Squad and BuzzOff) that will come
spray your yard every 21 days or install a misting
system. Any company that makes mosquito-free claims is looking to
make money on people's fears. Not only will it hurt your pocket book, it
is a risk to your health and the environment.
If your backyard is full of mosquitoes, you have a breeding
ground close by. Does it make sense to use poison over and over or
eliminate the source of the problem and use personal protection? See
our Neighborhood Flyer link (above) to learn about safe and effective mosquito
control. Knowledge is power!
NEWS! HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S RECORDS
SHOW 2008 SPRAYING DID NOT REDUCE MOSQUITOES OR PREVENT MORE
POSITIVE WEST NILE VIRUS TESTS
We requested the Health Department's 2008
mosquito trapping records to find out what they did to address
mosquitoes non-toxically before they sprayed in 2008 and what effect
spraying had on mosquitoes.
The records revealed that the 2008 Antioch spraying did not reduce
mosquito populations. In at least one case, the mosquito population
increased by 420% one day after they sprayed. The last two times they sprayed in Antioch, the traps had
only 10 or less mosquitoes. (Spraying for a small number
of mosquitoes can contribute to creating resistant mosquitoes.)
Health officials claim they practice Integrated Pest Management (use
less toxic methods to control mosquitoes first before spraying).
However, during the 3 week period before they sprayed in 2008, their
records showed no action was taken by the department to reduce mosquito
populations less toxically in the affected area.
Records also show that spraying did not prevent more mosquitoes from
testing positive. By the end of the season, they had 7 positive tests
for West Nile virus in Antioch - 3 were found after they sprayed. This
is not Integrated Pest Management. It is poorly run Pest Management.
We took the results to Vivian Wilohoite (council representative for the
Antioch neighborhood that was sprayed). She volunteered to meet with the
Director of Health about improving Pest Management in Nashville. The
director made some promises for new policies. He has announce that he
will use a higher threshold this year but there have been no new
policies passed. Time will tell if he requires his staff to deliver on
his promises.
JUDGE RULES
METRO SPRAY TRUCK DRIVER BREACHED HIS DUTY AND WAS NEGLIGENT IN
PEDESTRIAN SPRAYING INCIDENT. Metro must pay for the man's emergency room visits.
Click here for
article!
3. There
is no scientific evidence that shows spraying reduces human
transmission.
4. If you want to protect yourself from mosquitoes and
West Nile virus, your best bet is to find and dump standing water and
wear repellent.
WARNING! Nashville "Health" Department's current
mosquito control policy ALLOWS SPRAY TRUCK DRIVERS TO LEAVE THE SPRAY ON
WHEN PEDESTRIANS ARE PRESENT and the removes opt out rights. Click here for details!
If you see a truck spray near pedestrians:
Document with photo/video without exposing yourself to the pesticide.
Write down location & description of the truck and/or driver. If it is
safe and you are able, ask if victims need assistance. Report to us
immediately by phone 327-8515!
If you are a victim (do the above plus): Call the police at
862-8600 and request they fill out an incident report! This creates a
record. Save sprayed clothing in a sealed plastic bag. (Do not wash it.)
If you have symptoms seek medical attention, let them know you were
exposed to Anvil 2+2 & ask for a blood test to show pesticide levels. See our link on spraying
emergencies.
This picture shows spray truck driver John Primm violating the policy
they USED to have to shut off the pesticide when people are present.
Despite a multitude of complaints from 2003-2006, Health
officials denied ANY driver has EVER left the spray running in the
presence of pedestrians. We were inspired to release this photo after 2
of them lied under oath in a 2007 deposition. Some of them started
changing how they framed their statements after we released the photo.
The
EPA does not allow manufacturers or distributors to say that any
pesticide is safe, yet health officials in Nashville make these claims
constantly. An EPA
representitive even called a staff member in 2005 and told him to stop
making these blanket claims - it made no difference. Hear their Public Information Officer
Brian Todd talk about how the strength of the pesticide could be
increased by 80,000 times and still be SAFE!" This is
one small example of the irresponsible and unethical behavior that has
been allowed at the Metro Public Health Department.View it, click
here!
WHAT
IS THE RISK OF GETTING WEST NILE VIRUS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND DOES
SPRAYING HELP? Middle Tennessee has had a total of 20
human cases of West Nile virus since 2002. 9 were in 2002 and 2003.
Many counties around us had no mosquito control during those years and
did not have significantly higher incidences of disease. There have been
over 30 victims of pesticide spraying including two people who lost lung
capacity when they were sprayed at close range.
NO SPRAY DOES NOT MEAN NO
MOSQUITO CONTROL!
Cities that elected to use safer methods of mosquito control have
controlled mosquitoes and West Nile virus as well as those that have
sprayed. (See
our comparative analysis.) So, if there are less toxic and
less costly methods available that are equally as effective, why
would our city spray our neighborhoods with pesticide?
DOES "NO SPRAY" MEAN
NEVER, EVER SPRAY? Absolutely not. There may be emergencies where spraying is
an appropriate response. We want criteria to establish what constitutes
an emergency based on diseased mosquitoes and human disease cases and
scientific protocol to outline exactly how the spraying will be done. In
2002, Memphis had a small area in the downtown area that was responsible
for a large percentage of the state's West Nile virus cases. This is a
good example of an emergency.
No Spray Nashville is working to bring RESPONSIBLE MOSQUITO CONTROL
to Nashville! Learn
about local scientists who are
speaking out and how failure by our Health Department to act responsibly
when they use a toxic substance could hurt your health and does hurt our
wallets. To date, over 30 people have been injured and sickened from the
spraying.
"INGREDIENTS OF THE
PESTICIDE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPRAYS ARE KNOWN ENDOCRINE DISTRUPTORS
AND A MUTAGEN," said
Vanderbilt scientist (who teaches an advanced class on Environmental
Toxins and has been a cancer researcher for over 30 years) to the Board
of Health (April 2005) Read his letters
to the board.
We suggest you at least read the links at the bottom of the page
numbered 1-3 so you will have the critical information you need to
decide what risks you are willing to take.
*WARNING:
Anvil is toxic to bees, fish and other aquatic life. (Source: Anvil Fact
Sheet.) The EPA prohibits the direct application of products to open
water or within 100 feet of lakes, streams, rivers or bays.
Violations should be documented as soon as possible preferably with a
witness present. Please contact us for information.
EXCELLENT TIPS FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL 
See 
