The FBRC editorial team continues its series on which preparations are used for treatment to protect against leaf-chewing and sucking pests in the regions of Kazakhstan, and how they may affect living organisms, including humans.
We have previously written about what is still being used to poison residents of Astana, Uralsk, Atyrau, and East Kazakhstan Region. In this part, we will tell you which preparations are used in the fight against mosquitoes and midges in the Pavlodar Region.
According to the Department of Subsoil Use, Environment and Water Resources of the Pavlodar Region, depending on the location of the disinsection, insect treatment is carried out using knapsack sprayers, aviation, nautical equipment, as well as thermal foggers.
It is noted that a biologically safe preparation based on the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is used to control mosquito and midge larvae. At the same time, disinsection against the winged form of biting midges is carried out using chemical preparations "Deltaris", "K-Othrin", and "Fobi Super".
Before we analyse the active ingredients of the chemical preparations, it is worth noting that the preparations used are not included in the list of pesticides permitted for sale and use on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
It is likely that the Department of Subsoil Use, Environment and Water Resources of the Pavlodar Region is unaware that pesticides not permitted in Kazakhstan are being used in the region. How else to explain the fact that the department is keeping a detailed report on the disinsection being carried out on social networks, openly stating the names of the preparations used.
The active ingredient of the preparations "Deltaris" and "K-Othrin" is "Deltamethrin", the harmful effects of which we have written about previously.
To remind you:
- "Deltamethrin" is a potential allergen and can cause asthma in some people. In case of acute poisoning, a person experiences uncoordinated movements, shortness of breath, swelling, headache, convulsions, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. The substance is not only toxic to warm-blooded animals and humans but is also extremely toxic to bees and insects.
Currently, "Deltamethrin" is considered an obsolete insecticide, as many insects, particularly mosquitoes and bedbugs, have become insensitive to it. For example, it is noted that about 88% of bedbugs in the USA have genes blocking the effect of "Deltamethrin".
The insecticidal agent "Fobi Super" belongs to the category of fast-acting preparations. "Fobi Super" contains the substances "Permethrin" (27.6%), "Piperonyl Butoxide" (16%), and "D-allethrin" (3.2%).
- "Permethrin" is of low toxicity to warm-blooded animals and humans but is deadly dangerous for bees, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. In humans, inhaling "Permethrin" can cause headache, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. If it comes into contact with the skin, the substance can cause redness, itching, and burning.
- "Piperonyl Butoxide" is classified as a moderately hazardous substance for humans, animals, birds, and even bees; however, the substance is very toxic for aquatic invertebrates. However, the likelihood of inhaling "Piperonyl Butoxide" in its pure form is extremely low, as it is always combined with at least one insecticide, which in turn often has a negative effect on living organisms.
- "D-allethrin" is dangerous when it enters the body through the respiratory tract. The substance is moderately toxic to bees, toxic to cats, and lethal to fish and aquatic invertebrates. In cases of "D-allethrin" poisoning, warm-blooded animals experience excessive salivation, changes in breathing, tremors, and decreased motor activity.
In April 2023, the FBRC editorial team released a series of materials titled "Who is poisoning Pavlodar children with pesticides", in which we wrote about which preparations were used previously for disinsection in the Pavlodar Region, and how the impact of these preparations affects the birth of children with autism spectrum disorder.
At that time, we noted that in 2019 in the region, in addition to the safe biological preparation "Bacticid", the chemical preparation "Agran" was also used to combat mosquitoes, which contains the now well-known substance "Chlorpyrifos".
In 2014, the US Environmental Protection Agency found that in pregnant women living within 1.5 km of fields where "Chlorpyrifos" was used, the likelihood of giving birth to children with autism spectrum disorders increased by 60%.
Later, in 2021, the USA managed to ban the use of "Chlorpyrifos" precisely because of its link to neurological damage in children. In the countries of the European Union, "Chlorpyrifos" is also a banned substance.
It is astonishing that many regions, when carrying out disinsection work in urban environments, use pesticides permitted for use in agriculture within Kazakhstan, justifying this by saying they are "permitted on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan." However, the Pavlodar Region has surpassed the boundaries of irresponsibility on this matter.
In addition to the fact that preparations lethal to fish and aquatic organisms are used in the region's water bodies, the region does not adhere to the list of preparations permitted in the country. In our opinion, this is the height of cynicism and unprofessionalism on the part of local executive bodies.
In this regard, the FBRC editorial team appeals to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources with a request to conduct a detailed investigation into the legality of using disinfectant preparations in the Pavlodar Region.
To be continued…