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Should Government Spray Chemicals on Residential Areas?

blog.wired.com — Note to the government: When you unilaterally send aircraft to spray unfamiliar chemicals over residential areas, the public will get very worried.

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  • turnitout, on 06/16/2008, -3/+80Ummm. No?
    • swordedge, on 06/16/2008, -0/+9only if it makes beautiful women think I am attractive!
      • Owned1Up, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3so it looks like they won't be spraying then?
        • spawnfree, on 06/16/2008, -1/+2chemtrails?

          they have been doing this covertly for years and playing it down.

          art bell on coast to coast would cut off people phoning in about chemtrails and then ridicule them before going back to talking about atlantis.
      • Mootabolife, on 06/16/2008, -0/+8That's what alcohol is for..
        • dinostabOMG, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2I think there are better ways to deliver that than airborne sprays though.
    • damonic, on 06/16/2008, -0/+7I say go for it. I mean our government would never do anything to hurt us, right?
    • JettaMan, on 06/16/2008, -0/+5Something tells me someone will mention contrails.
    • thewump, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1I like your logic.
    • thejamabides, on 06/16/2008, -1/+1Uhhh what about something to kill off the freaking mosquitos and their larvae?
      • AlanLivingston, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2How about something to kill all the stupid people? Or maybe some pheromones to confuse them and stop them from mating...
  • SoyChemist, on 06/16/2008, -18/+6It's so much more complicated than that! They're dropping pellets with low amounts of natural chemicals instead of spraying tons of toxic pesticide. If they don't the economy could take a huge hit.
    • ChronicColonic, on 06/16/2008, -1/+10If they don't spray, the terrorists win!
    • cdahlkvist, on 06/16/2008, -8/+6The hippies don't want to hear that. They would rather turn it all into some huge conspiracy.
    • aidave, on 06/16/2008, -1/+4Won't anyone think of the economy?

      We must sacrifice the hippies to appease the Almighty Economy.
    • funkyloki, on 06/16/2008, -2/+5Please clarify what you mean by the economy can take a huge hit, and also, provide evidence about these pellets of which you speak. I would like to not dismiss you as crazy, but you are gonna have to support your argument.
      • dggeek, on 06/16/2008, -1/+3RTFA. They are trying to eradicate a crop-destroying moth that has recently invaded the area. They are using moth pheromones to confuse them so they stop mating. It is not a deadly chemical.
    • xenuxenuts, on 06/16/2008, -0/+11The government must show that it is safe and do a reasonable job of convincing the public.

      Lets say that they spray and it turns out to cause lifelong health problems in young children. Who should foot the bill for the medical costs? The government (aka the public)? The maker of the chemical who said it was safe? The fruit industry that was "saved"? The victim? How about compensation for loss of quality of life?

      People have a right to not be exposed to chemicals that they haven't given consent for.
      • PeppermintPig, on 06/16/2008, -0/+4This:
        "People have a right to not be exposed to chemicals that they haven't given consent for"

        Contradicts this:
        "The government must show that it is safe and do a reasonable job of convincing the public."

        Even if they believed it didn't do any harm, it still well could. In any case, there will be no accountability, like you've said. Government always finds a way of screwing up.

        There should be no question: Absolutely not!
    • makenshin, on 06/16/2008, -2/+1Oh, I agree plenty that the government needed to act on such issues. The issue though is not notifying the public before you do it. At the very least you should let them know, and preferably get their consent to some form of action. I think the government made the right choice to handle the pests, but handled the situation wrong.
  • SoyChemist, on 06/16/2008, -15/+4It's so much more complicated than that! They're dropping pellets with low amounts of natural chemicals instead of spraying tons of toxic pesticide. If they don't the economy could take a huge hit.
    • floatingorb, on 06/16/2008, -5/+3Or so we are lead to believe...."muhaahauuuha" {diabolical laughter} But yeah, good point. Perhaps it is the delivery 'vehicle' (particulates) that is causing the respiratory distress in people (or is their coincident illness disputed?). It could be the illnesses are, in fact, 'psychological' {/anxiety-hysteria} but that is to be expected also. The article does nicely address mistrust stemming from lack of understanding the available information on Checkmate(tm).

      I, for one, would rather have a good laugh at watching the moths not know who to screw than having a sack of Permethrin dropped on me -- Ohh, If I could only trust "they/them."
      • floatingorb, on 06/16/2008, -1/+4p.s.
        Speaking as one who lives in "The Armpit of the South"; If someone says "lice," then I'm straight to the local 'feed and seed' to get that bag of P!!!
    • blen2r, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1hmmm first time I hear that...
  • floatingorb, on 06/16/2008, -6/+14I probably wouldn't have a problem with it if what they were spraying was raw cannabis extract...oh wait.
    • BobOki, on 06/16/2008, -1/+5Where the hell do I sign up?
      • floatingorb, on 06/17/2008, -0/+2You don't. That is the point. Good or not; 'They' don't ask you.
    • djholybolt, on 06/16/2008, -0/+9I don't know what you're talking about. They're doing that right now above my house. i thought they were getting everyone stoned so they'd vote mcCain or some *****.
  • HumanCattle, on 06/16/2008, -7/+36LOL chemtrails
  • Hellman109, on 06/16/2008, -7/+52How many chemicals have been lauded as 'safe' only later to be re-classified as very deadly?

    *cough* asbestos *cough* anyone
    (pun intended)
    • Zzone, on 06/16/2008, -8/+6where was the pun?
      • alach11, on 06/16/2008, -0/+10Do you know what part of the body asbestos affect?
        • bovilexia, on 06/16/2008, -4/+3Yes. Asbestos does damage to the lungs, still doesn't make it a pun though. A pun is a phrase that deliberately exploits confusion between similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect.
    • jesusfish, on 06/16/2008, -3/+8http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=pu ...
      • itsthebrod, on 06/16/2008, -0/+4The problem with Maddox's point is that it assumes most people ARE smart enough to realize a pun was intended, and unfortunately here on Digg (and on the internet in general), that's not always the case.
    • BobOki, on 06/16/2008, -4/+3I lold.
      Floride should be added to the list.
    • Pstmann, on 06/16/2008, -0/+4asbestos is not a chemical, it's a group of minerals. not a small distinction.
    • ChronicColonic, on 06/16/2008, -4/+4Asbestos I recall, asbestos has been recalled. OK....that is a pun...and a piss-poor one at that.
    • floatingorb, on 06/17/2008, -1/+1That's not that punny (pun kind of intended but not so much).
  • jduvall, on 06/16/2008, -6/+54Summary: Even if the chemicals are harmless, it is a violation of our civil rights to spray stuff near our homes without a good explanation and permission.
    • DeFex, on 06/16/2008, -2/+49haha civil rights, I remember those.
    • nyx210, on 06/16/2008, -1/+28The government doesn't care about civil rights...
      • carpespasm, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2the government cares about what your make it care about. Do something.
    • dracflamloc, on 06/16/2008, -0/+7Sadly, you only have the rights you *take* from them in this world.
    • mnemy, on 06/16/2008, -1/+1And in the time it takes to do all that, the mouths have doubled the area they're infecting.
  • prompel, on 06/16/2008, -4/+8But this is all wrong! Because the public can't get worried! Because of the stuff that the government is already putting in the water supply, you know?

    Ah, who cares ...
  • andyboyd, on 06/16/2008, -2/+5yeah I think that's a rhetorical question if ever there was one
  • oddworld19, on 06/16/2008, -8/+3I just watched The Happening.
    So my answer is no.
  • Kisama, on 06/16/2008, -19/+5Shut up, hippies.
  • mark076h, on 06/16/2008, -4/+7I remember way back in the early 90's they sprayed all over New England to kill mosquitoes, they warned everyone that from something like 7AM-9AM you were not suppose to be outside and they had these huge bomber planes spray everything, then something happened and some of them sprayed early and people out jogging got sprayed, does anyone remember this?
    • KaiSe7eN, on 06/16/2008, -9/+1.
    • JMScheib, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3They do that here in Florida every so often.
    • TrainingName, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3We should go back in time and just stand outside for gigglez and *****
  • shoopdawoop, on 06/16/2008, -5/+23I'M AS MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE
    • pajeff2, on 06/16/2008, -1/+21Yes you are
    • poiuytrewq44, on 06/16/2008, -2/+20In the butt.
    • corr, on 06/16/2008, -1/+7Hey, has anyone ever seen that movie Network?

    • KaiSe7eN, on 06/16/2008, -2/+3What What, InThe Butt, I said What What, In The Butt
    • cdahlkvist, on 06/16/2008, -1/+11It's MY money and I need it NOW!
    • tufftugg, on 06/16/2008, -0/+8 We are the government, and you'll take it in any orifice we chose.
    • itsthebrod, on 06/16/2008, -0/+5THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKIN' ME THIRSTY!
    • JMScheib, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2hahaha
    • floatingorb, on 06/16/2008, -0/+38 replies and not one correct response. Let me fix that:

      "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore."

      {ding ding ding -- I can has cupie doll now?}
  • pajeff2, on 06/16/2008, -18/+3I have no problem with this, spray away..More good than harm is done by the spraying
    • ChronicColonic, on 06/16/2008, -2/+2Spoken by the young female porn star right after she signed the contract...
  • ricksite, on 06/16/2008, -1/+24Am I the only one who lives in a city where they spray for mosquitoes? They have been doing it since I was a kid 25 years ago.
    • gennipher, on 06/16/2008, -5/+22No you're not, and I pray to god I don't run into one of those things on my 10 mile bike commute to work, that ***** is gross. All they need to do is bring in some bats, they eat all the mosquitoes. And you don't even have to pay them. +2 for bats.
      • tito13kfm, on 06/16/2008, -0/+13I grew up in a wooded area of a small suburb of Cleveland. We had plenty of bats, and plenty of mosquitos. If they killed off all the mosquitos then they wouldn't have a food supply and would die off, nature is about balance.
      • mike17032, on 06/16/2008, -2/+12Bats are far from harmless. They are the #2 carrier of rabies, and will roost in peoples houses. Their ***** is very toxic to humans as well.
      • Scalpels, on 06/16/2008, -3/+4If video games have taught me anything, its that bats are nothing you want to ***** with, much less invite into your neighborhood.
      • swedishfishing, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1free + rabies, what a steal!
    • tufftugg, on 06/16/2008, -3/+1 And look how that turned out, you've become a 'diggy'
  • vladimirpoopen, on 07/24/2008, -1/+6So what happens when someone doesn't like the fact that some f'en plane is flying over his place, spraying chemicals. Let's go back to that Oklahoma video with all those machine guns :-) What do you think they'd do?
  • chrissku, on 06/16/2008, -2/+17"Should Government Spray Chemicals on Residential Areas?"




    The title alone screams NO.
  • leerayIG88, on 06/16/2008, -1/+1nah, it would be bad news bears for the children and me. :(
  • FFXIfrohike, on 06/16/2008, -12/+5The only people hysterical about this are those who refuse to actually study up on the pheromones being used. That's right... freakin' pheromones. Chill out, hippies, and study some biology.

    BTW, I live in a sprayed area and I'm far from intoxicated, on pheromones anyway.
  • chrysrobyn, on 06/16/2008, -1/+34"Check this MSDS from Dupont one of the 3 ingredients listed includes "1,2-BENZISOTHIAZOLIN-3-ONE" which is in LBAM-F. See Page 2 under "Potential Health Effects" "SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS EFFECTS OF ACUTE OVEREXPOSURE: High oral doses can cause apathy (lack of feeling or emotion).""

    Sounds like paxilon hydrochlorate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaver_(Firefly)#Orig ...
    • EricAnderton, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3Meh. Anyone else not surprised by this?
    • tito13kfm, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2That's why we don't drink the stuff.
    • thesonofdarwin, on 06/16/2008, -0/+11So that's what happened to America. Add enough to the public water supply and we don't care what they do.

      Water fluoridation? Yeah, right.
    • thedarkwolf, on 06/16/2008, -0/+6... whatever. I think i'm just going to lay down here.... maybe take a nap............
  • readerz, on 06/16/2008, -1/+17"We are the Government we can spray anything we want on You and your Children!"
  • gennipher, on 06/16/2008, -5/+10"Should Government Spray Chemicals on Residential Areas?" - NO
    Should Government Spray Chemicals on Any Type of Area? - NO

    It's all connected, it will come back to us through the food chain.
    • mike17032, on 06/16/2008, -2/+1Yes, West Nile Virus is FTW right?
  • TheKitchenSinkX, on 06/16/2008, -7/+5I'm going to go with "yes."
  • ajb2015, on 06/16/2008, -2/+22I work with pesticides and if I were to spray on a property without permission from the owner, I could be fined for chemical trespass. It only seems fair that the government should have to abide by the same law. That said, there are usually safer alternatives than spraying. For example, spraying pesticides for mosquitos is usually regarded as the least effective way to control them, but filling in areas that collect stagnant water eliminates breeding areas. There are also eco-friendly alternative sprays (usually with harmless oils like peppermint and rosemary, or even garlic).
    • tufftugg, on 06/16/2008, -1/+3"...only seems fair that the government should have to abide by the same law."

      What are you smoking?
    • Kidtuf, on 06/16/2008, -0/+5"There are also eco-friendly alternative sprays (usually with harmless oils like peppermint and rosemary, or even garlic)"

      Dracula would disagree
      • PeppermintPig, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2Don't worry. Dracula will probably be indoors during spraying hours. XD
  • myass666mlong, on 06/16/2008, -2/+4someone should blow the Parliament
  • wonky73, on 06/16/2008, -12/+6Hippies are dumb
  • Hetman, on 06/16/2008, -2/+10The government is always in a lose lose situation. If they try to stop a pest from ruining an ecosystem people complain, if they do nothing and the moth ends up killing native species enviromnetalist are going to scream about how the government didnt do anything to save them.
    • funkyloki, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2That is an excellent point. There are miles and miles of unattended pools of water, and if they aren't sprayed than we have a health crisis. What is the right decision?
      • PeppermintPig, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1Sell the unattended government land.

        If this is a problem, let the people deal with it. Any individual concerned about their crops will do what they think is best, and any consequences from the action will meet up with them in court or arbitration. Through trial and error, someone in the market will hit upon a safe and beneficial solution for everyone, but only if they have the incentive and money to do so. Government spraying is costly and one-size-fits-all bs.

        For people who want to preserve endangered species, then it is their obligation to buy the land and not develop on it, but certainly do not leave it in the hands of government. If they find oil there or give a logging contract to some company, say goodbye to the environment.
    • thedarkwolf, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3Maybe spraying is the best alternative, but they need to get permission first. Announce what they want to do and have a vote/town hall/some kind of discussion where people can raise concerns and the government can explain their position and what they want to do about it.
  • sircutz, on 06/16/2008, -1/+0In BC Canada we use BTK as needed
    http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/gypsymoth/whatisbtk.h ...
    Can has asthma problems and also can kill other good bugs. May not be as applicable to the Cali moth issue.
  • crazyjake, on 06/16/2008, -13/+9oh god, now the "chemtrail" crazies are going to be spreading their conspiracy will full force now!

    "They are using chemtrail to block planet x, that way we can't see it in the sky and be prepared"

    unfortunately i am not making this up...
  • phorty40, on 06/16/2008, -6/+7Bees are dying at an alarming rate and we want to spray more?
    TEAM AMERICA F*CK YEAHHH!!!!
  • Nintendesert, on 06/16/2008, -8/+3"We live green no spray" I say spray her again.
    • cdahlkvist, on 06/16/2008, -2/+2Spray her and spay her so she doesn't spread the hippie gene.
  • Bmarofsky, on 06/16/2008, -0/+4No, not without warning residents first. Read the MSDS http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a3580 ...
    As part of an IPM program this is WAAAAYYYYY safer that traditional pesticides.
  • Andrwmorph, on 06/16/2008, -1/+14Sounds like something China would do.




    (To lower the excess population)
  • Misanthrope, on 06/16/2008, -2/+7Wait...I'm apathetic and have no emotions...

    It's WORKING!

    Stop the chemtrails!
  • mofw, on 06/16/2008, -8/+2Trust the government.
  • republicker, on 06/16/2008, -1/+1http://www.cloakanddagger.de/WELCOME%20PAGE%20DOCS ...
  • KaivenTor, on 06/16/2008, -1/+9"SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS EFFECTS OF ACUTE OVEREXPOSURE: High oral doses can cause apathy (lack of feeling or emotion)."

    Reavers?

    Seriously though, spraying pesticides over residential neighborhoods hasn't been a good idea. Ever.
    • Hetman, on 06/16/2008, -1/+3I am going to have to disagree with you. Malaria is one of the leading causes of deaths in the world. In many third world countries spraying chemicals that kill mosquitos is a bigger priority than worrying abou the chemicals themself. But I agree that in most parts of america it is not necessary.
      • KaivenTor, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2@Hetman: Yeah, but don't they usually spray the waterways vs. the actual houses? But yeah, for the majority of the US, this is simply not needed, there has to be a better way to fight off pests.
  • dtfinch, on 06/16/2008, -1/+4I don't really care anymore.
  • AlKo, on 06/16/2008, -0/+3Anyone from NYC metro area: West Nile spraying??
    • RationalXubrnce, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2 Yeah but that was publicly debated and then people were made aware of what areas would be sprayed at what times and what they had to do to keep safe. That's very different then secretly dumping some chemical at 35,000 feet and then remaining silent while a debate rages about what the hell is going on.
  • billizm, on 06/16/2008, -5/+4That's a biased title. Some chemicals are good, but saying it like this sounds bad. What if the chemicals prevented cancer or something? Obviously not in this case.
  • scooper86, on 06/16/2008, -3/+7As long as its on poor people and makes them infertile sure
  • tufftugg, on 06/16/2008, -3/+3 Who cares what the public think? You think this is a bloody Democracy or something?
  • lunachique, on 06/16/2008, -0/+10I grew up in Southern California and in the late eighties they sprayed malathion for the Mediterranean fruit fly. I remember very distinctly that we had to come in at dusk and everyone had to bring their pets in the house. It ate the paint off of cars!
  • Skurj, on 06/16/2008, -0/+6instead of this spray.. the government should propose a 25 cent bounty on all dead moths. who knows, it could even FUEL the economy!
  • yosserhughes, on 06/16/2008, -0/+4Ask the Vietnamese how they feel about aerial spraying.
  • Luc1d1ty, on 06/16/2008, -6/+8DIGG this article people!
    This is vitally IMPORTANT information.
    It is an OPEN EXAMPLE of how the government is trying to control the population with MORE MIND ALTERING chemicals.
    Theyre already in our food, water, and vaccines....
    When will we all come together to put a stop to this nonsense?
    IT HAS TO STOP.
    There are other ways to control pest infestations, I know it, YOU know it.

    WAKE UP, OPEN YOUR EYES.
    Everything you need to know is right in front of you.
    I dont know how else I can stress the point that people need to start believing what they SEE and not what theyre told by the government.
    The government IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE.
    Never has been, never will be.
    • RationalXubrnce, on 06/16/2008, -3/+4 I like a good concpiracy and all but I think the whole mind controlled chemicals sprayed into the air thing is pretty stupid.
      • t4m5t3r, on 06/17/2008, -0/+0erm actually, its not, the british goverment recently admitted the sprayed various radioactive chamicals over certain part of the country (as did the americans, and russians) to see the ffects of radioactive fall out on the population, they where mild in comparison to actual fall out but still harmless chemicals,

        i dont think its "mind control", why would they need that, they already have FULL control of what people say, do and think, so theres no need to spray chemicals, in that context, yeah its pretty stupid, but they have and probably will for many years to come, experimenting on us!

        and Luc1d1ty is right, the only people that can stop this sort of thin is us, but as i said, they control us to the point that thats NEVER going to happen,

        "There are other ways to control pest infestations, I know it, YOU know it."

        too true, m8, if only everybody realised that!
    • billizm, on 06/16/2008, -1/+2You sir, are a nut! You also probably believe there are chips in everything form razors to milk cartons that "beam" up to big brother telling them whenever you take a drink. Too much late night Christian TV.
      • Luc1d1ty, on 06/16/2008, -1/+1No sir I am not a nut.
        I am a very well educated human being.
        No I dont believe there are microchips in everything.... Nor am I Christian.

        I am someone who knows information about things that most people dont know. I am also someone who knows information about things, that the government doesnt want anyone to know about.

        I am someone who has time and time again, had posts and information removed from the internet by government parties for saying too much.

        You my friend are the nut.

        You people need to wake up and take a good look at what is going on around you.
        • billizm, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1Big brother controlling the population with (more) mind altering chemicals. Riiiiight. I'm curious, what are they making us do?
        • billizm, on 06/17/2008, -0/+1The government must have deleted your reply.
  • username484767, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1god damn every wired.com article I see on digg is an advertisement, enough already
  • duder83, on 06/16/2008, -0/+1yes. please spray my area with antrax and a side of neurotoxins
  • kosser, on 06/16/2008, -1/+4Well scientists have already tested these Chem Trails, and they are made of horrifying chemicals and just plain bad for humans. all the government is trying to do is lower your immune system with chem trails and food and vaccines, so cancer goes up, pharmaceutical companies get paid, and we all die. Don't believe this? then research it.
  • Abatrour, on 06/16/2008, -0/+2Pheromones belong in trees not people?.... Do they even know what pheromones are?
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