Subject: Re: Malathion info (fwd)
Date: May 13 10:26:47 1994
From: Gerry Rising - INSRISG at UBVMS.bitnet

Here is a summary of information on melathion taken from BASIC GUIDE TO
PESTICIDES: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND HAZARDS by Shirley A. Briggs of the
Rachel Carson Council (Washington DC, Hemisphere Publishing Corporation,
a division of Taylor and Francis, 1992. This book gives references in
support of each of its annotations.

Malathion is of course an organophosphate that is at least non-persistent.
That*s the good news. Here is the rest:

effects on mammals:

immediate toxicity (acute): oral: medium to high; dermal: medium to high;
inhalation: medium

long term toxicity (chronic): suspect mutagen, suspect teratogen, delayed
neurotoxin, allergic reactions, behavior effects, ulcers, gastrointestinal
inflammation, damage to eyesight, abnormal brain waves, immunosuppression

BIOCIDE
(this under *Adverse effects on other non-target species)

immediate toxicity: birds: medium to high; fish: medium to high; bees: very
high, nectar of treated plants toxic; amphibians: very high; crustaceans:
medium to very high; aquatic worms: medium; earthworms: very high; aquatic
insects: very high.

I hope that this proves useful in this skirmish in the continuing battle
against these dangerous chemicals (after all, we too are mammals). We here
in a Buffalo, NY suburb are once again losing the battle to those interested
only in short-term comfort while our spring frog choruses decline to an
occasional peep.

I will provide xeroxes of the pages as well as references from this book to
anyone who asks for them.

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Gerry Rising insrisg at ubvms.bitnet
295 Robinhill Drive insrisg at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
Williamsville, NY 14221-1639 716-689-8301
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From: Gerry Rising <INSRISG at UBVMS.bitnet>

One more thing about fighting the use of pesticides. You will find that
the proponents of pesticide use will come armed with beautifully published
data that is highly selective and that supports use of these products. They
are, of course, provided by the manufacturers whom we can trust about as much
as the tobacco executives.

Finally, of course, their bottom line is that the EPA has not disapproved
these chemicals. This is the EPA that remained either inactive or negatively
active for 12 years, leaving us in terrible shape with regard to these
important issues.

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Gerry Rising insrisg at ubvms.bitnet
295 Robinhill Drive insrisg at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
Williamsville, NY 14221-1639 716-689-8301
-----------------------------------------------