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Health, Leases, and Toxicity in Paradise - Part 4
 Terra Mar - PVNN
August 31, 2010
Are there alternatives to toxic sprays? That would definitely be a yes, but I could not find any chemical termite killer that is flat out safe. Two common brand names allowed by EPA are Torpedo and Dragnet; both contain Permethrin, which is not considered safe. This page on the beyond pesticides.org site has the least toxic pesticide alternatives and various links. Just remember, least toxic is not the same as non-toxic.
With termites an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. The best alternatives are preventative. Small but effective ideas are to put plastic coasters under furniture, invest in dehumidifiers, fans, good ventilation and keeping wood furniture well-oiled. Oil is better than paint because paint chips, leaving inroads.
Keep an eye out for the wings that you see on your sills during the first rains of the season and stay vigilant in checking things out. Regularly inspect your furniture and take action if you find any sawdust, a sure sign you've got an active termite community. Make sure you or your landlord invests in an annual inspection. Above all, stay on top of the situation so that your rental will not be one of the Condos that suffers first from neglect and later from Toxic Condo Syndrome.
Beyond that, when it comes to fumigation do your own research, stay pro active and insist on answers. Here are a few tips to get you started.
For untreated wood, it is generally recommended to use sodium borate (Borax), but be cautious with amounts. On outdoor wood a mix of kerosene and tar can be used. A biological option is using nematodes (worms) to go after the termites.
My husband and I are the wiser for being informed and as natural health advocates we are grateful. But in a broader frame, this is an issue of national health and awareness, and about all of us. Governments are in a comparable situation to our rental agency - they stand between the large corporations and the public, with interests on both sides. The health debates, international linkages, and regulatory issues are complex, but certain pesticides have already been banned.
Mexico has not yet banned pesticides, but things are moving here as well. In Matamoros people are demanding change after a toxic explosion. Yaqui communities in Sonora are demanding health protections from pesticides and toxic chemicals. And the Mexican Olympic Committee along with others are spearheading awareness of toxicity and health nationally.
These are the activities that initiate change and they deserve a lot more media coverage. We need to continue to seek government, civil and private sector cooperation. A great place to start is in open discussions on health-related issues from readers of articles like this one. I encourage you to join in with ideas, solutions or your own story.
Extremely valuable are questions by courageous parents asking about the health and safety of their children. Protecting our homes and health needs more awareness campaigns by medical communities, boycotts and demands from the public at large and campaigns in our schools. Change will also come from green companies pushing alternative solutions and seeking government subsidies for important research.
Change should come, for it is long overdue. No place, even paradise, will stay intact without the support of those of us who benefit from its natural beauty.
Change not only should come, for the sake of our children and theirs and for the sake of the small, fragile planet we inhabit - change must come.
NOTES, SOURCES & RELATED ARTICLES:
Intelligent Controls For Termites
Chemical Awareness School reviews health impacts:
SHORT TERM: Chlorpyrifos is very toxic to humans, between 1 teaspoon and 1 ounce may be fatal. (7) Chlorpyrifos toxicity is considerably greater if administered orally compared to dermal. (11) Primary routes of exposure are inhalation, skin or eye contact. Inhalation exposure to high concentration may cause upper respiratory irritation, central nervous system depression headache, dizziness, increased sensitivity to epinephrine, irregular heartbeats, in coordination, muscle twitching, tremor, pinpoint pupils, blurred vision, tightness in chest, and convulsions. Eye contact may cause pain, moderate irritation.(6) Poisoning also impairs Central Nervous System. (2)
LONG TERM: Continual absorption at intermediate dosage may cause influenza-like illness which includes symptoms like weakness, anorexia and malaise.(2) Prolonged or repeated over exposure to the product Lorsban may result in delayed liver and or kidney damage. (1) Other chronic exposure effects are behavioural neurotoxicity and organo-phosphate induced delayed neuropathy. (11)
An easily readable PDF fact sheet on Chlorpyrifos.
This reference is older, from 1996, but they have lots of information. Some of it's pretty techy; some of it is pretty scary.
Between 1993 and 1996, 17,771 cases of unintentional chlorpyrios exposures were reported to poison centers
Terra Mar has been involved in the healing arts for over 25 years and has written two books about improving health. She believes in living her passions - hence the move to Puerto Vallarta and speaking out on these issues. If you have thoughts, suggestions, concerns, or additions, or if you have your own story to tell, please email her at terra(at)oneplanetherbs.com..
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