CONTACT: Jennifer Miller, (208) 433-1827

The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) today expressed significant concerns about the announced aerial spraying of mosquitoes in Ada County, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. The organization, dedicated to promoting healthy solutions to pest issues, noted that the pesticide to be sprayed, naled (Dibrom), has been shown to be harmful to birds and fish.

"Pesticides are designed to kill or harm living things," says Jennifer Miller, program coordinator for the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. "Just as there are health risks associated with virus-carrying mosquitoes, there are also health risks associated with pesticides."

NCAP said people should be prepared to protect themselves from exposure to the pesticide.

NCAP suggests taking common-sense approaches to limit contact with the upcoming aerial spraying of pesticide, including:

• Close all windows and turn off air conditioning on the spray evenings.
• Avoid jogging or late evening walks with the dog.
• Bring toys inside and cover all pools, particularly children's pools.
• If you have a home garden, consider harvesting ripe produce ahead of spraying.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the pesticide naled does impact birds and fish. The EPA says that naled is highly toxic to rainbow trout.

"Pesticides are not 100 percent safe. It's against the law for pesticide companies to claim their products are safe. Ada County residents need to be prepared to protect themselves. We are just asking people to protect their children and their health by taking common-sense actions," says Miller.

For more information on the chemical naled, visit http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/Zoonosis/wnv/pesticides/factsheet_naled.pdf or http://www.pesticide.org/naled.pdf

###