Health Warning on Locust Spray

The health conscious in the community may be interested to know some alarming facts about Fenitrothion insecticide; as is currently being sprayed by aircraft across 100's of square kilometres to kill our native Locusts. This same insecticide was banned in Canada in the 1990's, after it caused significant mortality of Forest Songbirds. It was also used to control Locusts in South Africa in the 1970's, but due to its extreme toxicity, was abandoned, considered too hazardous to human health.

Thirty years down the track, Australia risks its "Clean and Green" image, and the health of its people, on a short-sighted, reactive bungle, whilst safer Locust management options are overlooked. As Native Locust swarms move quite rapidly across the landscape, short term repellents would be very effective means of protecting high value, sensitive crops, without the negative environmental and health implications of broad-scale chemical-insecticides. Why have these options been ignored?

Eris O'Brien,
Mitiamo