iStock/Thinkstock(MIAMI) — Protesters are raising concern about a pesticide being used to fight the Zika virus in the Miami area, as health officials work to stop the local outbreak.
The Zika outbreak in the Miami area has led to 56 infections throughout southern Florida. In the Miami area health officials have spent weeks using pesticide and larvicide in two areas where they believe ongoing transmission of the disease is occurring. However, the use of Naled in aerial spraying is now being protested by Florida residents.
This is not the first time that Naled, which is usually sprayed from low-flying planes, has been under fire. In Puerto Rico, where the local Zika outbreak has infected thousands, residents protested the pesticide and eventually the governor of Puerto Rico decided not to allow the use of the chemical on the island.
Here’s a look at the composition of the controversial pesticide.
What is Naled?
Naled is from a class of insecticide called “organophosphates,” registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill insects, including mosquitoes.
The chemical interferes with the nervous system of insects, which kills them. When used in aerial spraying, a licensed professional must handle the chemical.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said compared to other insecticides Naled can be more harsh on the environment.
“It is more environmentally disruptive than the other pesticides that we use,” Schaffner told ABC News, saying that it doesn’t biodegrade as quickly as other insecticides. “It’s not used in the EU and it’s generally used in very restricted circumstances.”
How is it sprayed?
In Florida the chemical is sprayed from the air using “ultra-low volume (ULV) spray” that results in droplets small enough to stay in the area.
The amount of the chemical used is tiny, according to the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management.
“Roughly one ounce, or two tablespoons, for an area about the size of a football field,” the department said in a statement last month.
Why Was it not used before?
The insecticide was used in the first outbreak zone in the Miami area, the Wynwood neighborhood, but initially health officials said they didn’t anticipate spraying in Miami Beach due to the high-rise towers. However, the continuation of the outbreak and the discovery of three mosquitoes with the Zika virus led health officials to decide to start spraying.
Can the Chemical Cause Side-Effects?
When used properly, Naled should not cause health problems for people or pets in the area, according to the CDC and EPA.
However, in large doses or if people are sensitive to the chemical, they “could experience short-term effects such as skin, eye and nose irritation,” according to the EPA.
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