Once again, someone did a drive-by pesticide fogging for mosquitoes in broad daylight, here in Gwanack-gu, this morning (Monday). Naturally, they used an unmarked, white truck.
I could quote from several sources as to why general fogging is almost useless to perform — especially during daytime — but not only is the unregulated fogging of pesticide in a major city unhealthy for children and people with respiratory conditions, in other places, like America for example:
Pesticides used by state or local agencies to control nuisance or public health pests have warning labels and directions to minimize risks to human health and the environment. These pesticides are applied by public health employees who are specifically trained to follow proper safety precautions and directions for use. State or local mosquito control programs are funded by taxes and subject to public scrutiny. The environmental hazards precautionary statements on many mosquito insecticide labels state that insecticides are toxic to birds, fish, wildlife, aquatic invertebrates, and honeybees.
but, in Seoul, apparently anybody with a truck can spray or fog pesticide, even if they are untrained morons. God knows what they use because I am certain they have little idea they know nothing about what chemicals they are using.
Why can’t Seoul City government control this!?
31 Comments
I think it is the Seoul City Government which is doing the spraying.
No Brendon, I checked. It is some local people who do not have the authorization from Gwanack-gu, at least that is what the Gwanack-gu people told me. They know who is doing it and they will not put a stop to it.
Maybe you’ll be able to recognize them later when they’re selling “Ddalgi! Ddalgi!” out of the same truck.
Every summer in Hannamdong (where I used to live) the trucks would come unannounced in the morning and spray poison in the narrow streets. Everyone’s windows would be open because of the heat and the poison goes right into homes. I read it contains cypermethrin, which affects hormones and the immune system. It’s one of those Dark Ages practices Korea hasn’t gotten rid of yet.
It’s really doubtful the spraying does any good in the daytime as you said. And why would there be unregulated spraying? Who is paying who to do that?
If the spraying of pesticides shocks your white-bread world, try this link.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dise.....oborne.htm
You have not a clue “neastud”.
There are none of those diseases in Seoul (yet) that you link to. The problem is untrained, people spraying pesticide anywhere they want at anytime and the acknowledged fact that fogging is a very poor temporary solution that only targets the adult life cycle of the mosquito and should be done at dusk — not in broad daylight. Additionally every pesticide I have found for fogging includes things that no children should be exposed to — even in the U.S.
Thanks, we know mosquitos carry disease, but we’re talking about inappropriate insecticide spraying, maybe read a little more closely and keep the snideness to yourself.
R.Elgin, speed typist
Bested me by two minutes….
Just for purposes of comparison, here’s the fact sheet provided by the local health department about the mosquito spraying program in my hometown:
http://www.lexingtonhealthdepa.....amp;did=19
“If the spraying of pesticides shocks your white-bread world, try this link.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dise.....oborne.htm”
Were this rural Malawi or Cambodia, the link might be relevant, but not when it comes to Seoul. (I’ve always lived in more of a multi-grain existence anyway, but thanks for the tired old “white bread world” assumption.)
The “mogi” trucks have always scared the hell out of me, and now it appears I haven’t been worried without reason. My wife thinks I’m overreacting, but as soon as I hear the truck in the distance, I get in the house and close the windows. While some of them may be scared of fans, few - if any - of the kids in my neighborhood have issues with chasing after the truck and inhaling the fumes with zeal…
Thanks for the factsheet UT. That fact sheet makes “Anvil” sound almost nice when they mention chrysanthemums but, since these people here in Seoul are unmonitored, we have no way of knowing what they are putting into the air.
This is not the first time I have been worried about this sort of thing. Some years ago I discovered upon talking to one fellow at Seoul City that the city was using helicopters to spray and one of the pesticides listed as being used was one that was banned in the U.S. as being completely unsafe to use in populated areas due to the fact that children were at risk to even small amounts of it. I faxed the Ministry of Health and Welfare about this as well, at the time.
The spray is certainly toxic, according to this poorly written Korea Times article Lost Nomad posted:
http://www.lostnomad.org/2005/.....-mogi-man/
There are mosquitoes in Korea?
Since most the swamps here have been drained (and countless amounts of pesticides are sprayed on the rice patties), I really don’t see why they even need to spray, even if it was effective. I must have been bitten by mosquitoes no more than a dozen times in my ten years here.
You’re quite welcome, R. Incidentally, the health department page also lists the spraying schedule; despite their fact sheet’s assurance that there’s no problem with being outside immediately after spraying, obviously someone wants to know when the truck will be in their neighborhood— presumably so they can plan their outdoor activities accordingly?
The schedule page also notes that spraying only takes place when winds are less than 10 mph; temperature is above 55 degrees (F); and there is no rain or dense fog. I doubt freelancers are observing such strict parameters.
And finally, a quick glance at Google shows that Anvil—warm and fuzzy as the fact sheet makes it sound—is not without controversy. The active ingredient is a synthetic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins found in mums, but similar does not mean same.
Nevertheless, in at least this particular stateside case, the dosage sounds quite low, they’re following a set application protocol, and they’re telling people what they’re spraying and when they’re spraying it so they can avoid it if they so choose. None of that sounds like it’s being done here.
“someguy” I saw on TV an article about how mosquitoes lay eggs inside these water containers that are underground and sometimes on rooftops, throughout the city. The newscaster said that these were a major source of mosquitoes and, once they were treated (somehow), the mosquito population, in that specific area, dropped.
I would rather Gwanack-gu use this method, and others, instead of allowing idiots to run amok in the neighborhood.
My recent trip to Seoul exposed me to Koreans’ obsession with killing mosquitoes. My aunt in 70s(God Bless her) had these intoxicating mosquito-killing incense every inch of the house. I think it was call 에프킬라(or F-Killa). Obviously someone in the marketing was a former west coast gang member.
Wasn’t sure what’s worse, breathing this stuff day and night or getting bitten by those pests. I also saw some newcaster reporting about getting help from 미꾸라지. Which I think is also much sensible solution.
#15 - Exactly right. The single most effective method of mosquito control is eliminating the standing, stagnant water where mosquitoes lay their eggs. Spraying will never be as effective as this simple (and grassroots) solution.
What’s the difference between this and spraying a can of OFF! on yourself in the woods?
“What’s the difference between this and spraying a can of OFF! on yourself in the woods?”
Choice. There are safer, DEET-free alternatives to OFF.
I remember playing as a little kid inside the fog whenever they sprayed that stuff (the guy spraying it told us to go away, but come on. are kids really going to listen to that? ;-)) … Yeah, it’s very unhealthy… but somehow fun for no apparent reason.
You weren’t the only one, bum. Remember the opening scene from the movie Friends?
“What’s the difference between this and spraying a can of OFF! on yourself in the woods?”
OFF and other insect repellents - at least the regulated ones you will find in North American stores - are not of industrial strength. (There are some pretty scary ones that are sold in Myanmar and Cambodia, yet both countries have a much higher risk of malaria, not to mention dengue fever.) Repellents are also designed, as the name suggests, to repel insects. Pesticides, on the other hand, are often designed to kill insects, suggesting a much stronger product. Furthermore, one product is designed for individual use, while the other is sprayed all over the place, whether one wants it or not.
The additional point made in the posting is that spraying is not regulated - it is done differently from ward to ward, city to city, etc - and guidelines of usage aren’t being followed. Though most of us posting on this issue may be foreigners, it is the health of Koreans that is overwhelmingly being impacted by pesticide fogging in Korea.
@ Sonagi
Lol, you know what I used to do afterwards? I’d tell my parents that since I’ve played in the ‘disinfectant’ fog all day, I didn’t have to take a bath. X-D
playing in cancer fogs. good times.
One thing I’m still trying to figure out is R. Elgin’s freelance mozzie killers. What makes a guy wake up one day and say, “You know, I’m going to get a plain white truck, install a chemical spraying system, fill it with toxic chemicals, and go out spraying Kwanak-gu until I knock myself out, all on my own dime, cause that’s just the kind of guy I am?”
If you are a Gu employee and a foreigner comes up to you with a question no Korean has ever asked, because it wouldn’t occur to them to ask, you’re best answer is: “Somebody without authorization is doing it.” Of course it’s a government function. Who else would pay for it?
I think we can look to Singapore for the solution: heavy fines for anyone with standing water on their property.
That is a good question. As I understand it, there are some local people who are absolutely convinced that fogging for mosquitoes is the best thing since Park Chung Hee and they collectively pool money to do this. Some years before now, they had some support from the local “dong” office, which is staffed by low-education amateurs with a strong sense of DIY ethics — right or wrong. They used to go out in their green and yellow jackets with slogans printed on their truck about how good they were to volunteer their time as resident idiots, driving around in the morning, spewing pesticide everywhere.
Mind you Wedge, my crazy neighbors, across the street from me actually paid another amateur 5 million Won to brutally cut back the beautiful ginkos and old lilacs around their complex. The results are so bad you would not believe it if you saw it.
I remember getting little buzzed from smelling all that fog. In fact strangely I actually miss the oder.
R. Elgin: That makes sense. Thanks.
“Mind you Wedge, my crazy neighbors, across the street from me actually paid another amateur 5 million Won to brutally cut back the beautiful ginkos and old lilacs around their complex. The results are so bad you would not believe it if you saw it.”
I believe it. The people living in a beautiful “villa” in Hongdae (across from my old place) did the same thing a few years ago. They really had something great with the shrubs, trees, and flowers, but they monstered it. Progress?
Does anyone besides me suspect any connection between this white smog and the falling sperm motility of the average Korean man? (ref to Nomad for more)
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