I recently found out that Boulder has trucks that drive around neighborhoods in Boulder city, Longmont, Lafayette, Erie, Louisville, and Superior spraying toxic pesticides into the air in an attempt to control the mosquitoes.

Permethrin is the pesticide currently being sprayed for mosquito population control.

Effects of Permethrin Exposure

This information is from the Insecticide Fact Sheet in the Journal of Pesticide Reform. While Pyrethroids from Permethrin may be amongst the least toxic of insecticides (not saying much), they are an excitatory nerve poison. They act upon the sodium ion channels in nerve cell membranes and lead to the following:

• Inhalation: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, runny or stuffy nose, chest pain, or difficulty breathing.
• Skin contact: rash, itching, or blisters.
• Long-term effects: disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone, estrogen, thus causing excessive estrogen levels in females. In human males, its estrogenizing (feminizing) effects include lowered sperm counts. In both, it can lead to the abnormal growth of breast tissue, leading to the development of breasts in males and cancerous breast tissue in both male and females.
• Neurotoxic effects include tremors, incoordination, elevated body temperature, increased aggressive behavior, and disruption of learning. Laboratory tests suggest that permethrin is more acutely toxic to children than to adults.
• Other: A known carcinogen. There is evidence that pyrethroids harm the thyroid gland. Causes chromosomal damage in hamsters and mice; deformities in amphibians; blood abnormalities in birds.

Lovely, just what we need. More things in the environment that are causing thyroid damage and endocrine disruption. As you probably know, we are already seeing record high levels of people with thyroid dysfunction and infertility due to hormonal imbalance. Not to mention the rise of endocrine cancers. The neurotoxic effects sound very similar to what children on the autism spectrum exhibit.

What is the Alternative?

There’s no question that mosquito-borne illness is a threat to human health. West Nile virus is becoming more prevalent, there’s evidence that mosquitoes may be transmitting Lyme, and generally speaking people find them to be a nuisance to spending time outdoors.

However, mosquitoes, like all insects, play an important role in the ecosystem. They’re an essential food source for many other larger species and male mosquitoes eat nectar making them major pollinators of some crops.

Why the rise in mosquito issues? Well, mainly the mosquito population is just recovering from the effects of DDT spraying. Climate change is also inviting species that used to stay further south to migrate to more northern regions. The main reason, however, seems to be urbanization. The animals that keep the mosquito population under control are pushed out of urban areas and suffering the effects of our increasingly toxic environment. Mosquitoes can thrive anywhere, but birds and bats are adapted to an environment with trees and rocks.

Instead of spraying pesticides which are harmful to birds, bats, pets, and humans, consider these options:

• Reduce your carbon footprint to help slow climate change
• Create a bird and bat friendly backyard
• Use natural mosquito repellant
• Cover arms/legs during mosquito hours (dusk and dawn)
• Natural mosquito control through landscaping

Opt-Out of Being Sprayed

If you live in Boulder County and would like to opt-out of your home being sprayed or would like to be notified when spraying will take place so you can keep yourself, your pets, and your children indoors, click here.

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