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Human Health and Environmental Relative Risks of WNV Mosquito Control Products

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The West Nile Virus (WNV) working group (WNV-working group), chaired by the Bureau of Health (BOH) has requested input from the Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) regarding potential human health and environmental risks of mosquito control products which may be used to address a WNV outbreak in Maine. The objective of this document is to provide the risk managers with the most current information regarding the human health and environmental risks from mosquito insecticides, both for adult and larval mosquitoes. The other components of the plan are being developed by other agencies and will include available efficacy data, the availability of trained applicators, equipment and products in the state.

In this report, two types of risk information are presented. First, mosquito products are evaluated for absolute risks by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This information is found in the Registration Eligibility Documents (RED) and is reflected on pesticide product labels. EPA relies on models (which are not currently available to states) to estimate exposure. These models incorporate multiple treatments and environmental fate information. Second, the Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) made the assumption that EPA's process covered absolute risks and that the endpoint of concern is the risk of one product relative to other products used in a similar manner. Because of this, a relative risk approach was taken and the use rate in mg/Acre was used as a surrogate for exposure. This information is summarized in the text and detailed information provided in the appendices.

There is more toxicity data for some of the compounds compared to others. This is not reflected in the quantitative relative risk evaluations (Appendix VII) but is obvious in the toxicity summaries in Appendix VI. The more extensive the data base the more confidence one can have in the risk evaluation.

This is a dynamic document and it will be modified when more information becomes available in terms of more current labels, recent studies and/or peer reviewed documents from EPA. The current information is intended to be used if necessary in the summer of 2001. In that event, a detailed review of current label information will be undertaken prior to any State input into a WNV mosquito treatment program.

This is an assessment of the active ingredients of five adulticide products (used on adult mosquitoes) and five larvicide products (used on immature life stages of mosquitoes) identified on EPA's Mosquito Control Fact Sheets (68). There are many other products labelled for mosquitoes, but this review covers the ones with public health and municipal sites on the label (Appendix II). As always, a municipality or individual may treat or contract with an appropriately licensed commercial applicator for control of mosquitoes. In such instances, the applicator must use a federal and state registered product according to label directions and follow BPC regulations as well as other state regulations (DEP) and local town ordinances. For more information, call the BPC at 207-287-2731.

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