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Date: | Wed, 3 May 1995 21:27:03 GMT |
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Hi,
I posted about pesticide in our water supply and Dave Green asked for
clarification.
Yes I do mean pesticide, not flouridation (another matter). Yes there
was something of an outcry especially from us. I haven't been able to
find the reference, so I can't be 100% certain, but the people with whom
I've asked a second opinion and I agree that it was a synthetic
pyrethroid, we think permethrin.
The water company's view at the time was that this was a permitted
pesticide that is harmless to _humans_ in the quantities used and for
the durations used and therefore its use was permitted. If I remember
correctly it is used to kill reputedly harmless but 'unsightly'
organisms in the water. I think that our water is less chlorinated than
that in the US, which may give different priorities. Our water
companies do now publish in advance, in the local newspapers, the dates
& times of treatment.
For any aquarists out there, permethrin is also "extremely dangerous" to
fish. I used to keep marine fishes -- I would have been pretty annoyed
(that isn't the expression that first came to mind) if they killed a few
hundred pounds worth!
I think we are winning, but we _must_ continue to make our positions
understood!
--
Gordon Scott [log in to unmask] 100332,3310 on CompuServe
Newsletter [log in to unmask] ditto
Beekeeper, Kendo Sandan, sometime sailor.
Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 5HP, UK
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