Bob Harrison said:

> All pesticide use carries risk but I believe Jim is painting the wrong
> picture about Checkmite. I will try to explain.

> ...As I posted earlier on Bee-L my partner and I do not touch the checkmite
> strip but use a 20 inch pair of needles nose pliers sold by Harbour freight.

It looks like you have a handling approach that needs to appear in Section 18
renewals, and hence, on labels.  If one must use Checkmite, warning them to
not touch the strips is clearly an improvement over the current label instructions.

If I was "painting the wrong picture", why do you try to avoid all contact
with Checkmite strips?  Sounds to me like you are well-informed on the
hazards (as you are on so much of beekeeping).

>>They (the EPA) admit that there IS no safe way to handle this class
>> of chemicals.

> This is totally untrue.

Hey, I was just quoting the EPA.  Argue the point with them.  If someone
thinks that they have a way to protect workers and farmers from
organophosphates, great!

> One method of spraying used by orchards is with a tractor with a
> special cab with the only air comming in through a built into the
> cab resperator. I saw one of those demonstrated in Springfield ,
> Missouri.

I saw something similar in the 1970s - they called it an "Apollo 11 Lunar Lander".  :)

        jim