By David Kilby, Special Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — The ongoing battle against mosquitoes has caused the Township Committee to question the effectiveness of the mosquito treatment method the county has been using since the 1970s.
In addition, the treatment, sprayed by helicopter in pellet form over the township’s mosquito breeding grounds every year, may be negatively impacting the wild bees and aquatic life in the area.
At its meeting Monday, the committee voted to continue with the spraying despite adamant objections by Deputy Mayor Jill Popko. She said she requested information from various government departments, asking if the mosquito treatment is even effective in decreasing the mosquito population.
”They said they have lots of studies, but none provided any,” she added.
One of her questions was whether the pellets were being sprayed over residential areas.
Erin Nooney, supervisor of the Burlington County Health Department’s Division of Mosquito Control, responded to many of Ms. Popko’s concerns and said the only areas treated are wooded areas.
”We do not treat over homes,” Ms. Nooney said in an email to Ms. Popko.
Ms. Nooney added that Abate 5BG, or Temephos, has been the chemical used by the county to treat for mosquitoes since the 1970s, including Bordentown where sprays began 28 years ago.
”The issue that is starting to appear in this county is that our native mosquitoes, while being controlled effectively by our program, are starting to play second to the invasive species,” she added. “The Asian Tiger Mosquito and other container species that have been introduced are causing the problems since they breed in manmade containers around the house and require very little water to breed.”
She added that almost 99 percent of complaints about mosquitoes last year were regarding the Asian Tiger Mosquitoes.
In light of that information, Ms. Popko advised residents to empty their bird baths frequently and not let water under plant pots or in gutters sit for long.
She said the most effective treatments for mosquitoes are domestic products such as Deet, Avon’s Skin So Soft, cinnamon oil and mosquito dunks. She also said wearing long-sleeved clothes and pants during the summer can help.
”The chemicals we’re dumping in our waterways has absolutely no effect on what is actually the problem,” she said, adding those chemicals are not only ineffective, but are killing wild bees and aquatic species that serve as natural predators of the mosquitoes.
While the Asian Tiger Mosquito also can cause West Nile, native species are still a concern to transmit West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Ms. Nooney said.
In June of last year, her division learned a 3-year-old filly in the county tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and urged horse owners throughout the county to make sure animals’ vaccinations are current.
She said no township in the county has refused mosquito treatment, and the areas in the country and world that have not been treated and have mosquito-borne diseases have seen an increase of mosquito transmitted diseases.
Ms. Popko also asked if there are any alternative mosquito controls other than Temephos that can be used, and Ms. Nooney replied there is no other method to control mosquitoes that is as effective as pesticides currently, but the county is working with Rutgers and the state to find alternative methods.
”People aren’t paying attention,” Ms. Popko said. “They’re just doing what they’ve been doing for 30 years, and it doesn’t make any difference.”
Committeeman Steve Benowitz said he used to be in favor of doing the spraying, but then said after learning how Temephos is harmful to the ecosystem and aquatic life, he changed his mind.
”The use of pesticides such as Abate has not been proven to decrease the mosquito population,” he said.
Committeeman Karl Feltes said he did find several studies on Temephos while searching online. One study he offered was conducted by the Extension Toxicology Network in September 1993.
The study stated, “Freshwater invertebrates such as amphipods are very highly susceptible to Temephos as are some marine invertebrates. Because the compound is an insecticide and is used effectively to control the aquatic larval stages of mosquitoes, black flies and midges, its highly toxic nature to these organisms is not surprising.”
Another study from the United States Protection Agency’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, conducted in 1999, stated, “A number of field studies have been submitted, which show that even after 10 applications (of the Temephos granular formulation), no chronic effects to fish were observed.”
Mr. Feltes said there are others studies conducted by Rutgers showing how Temephos decreases the mosquito population, but Ms. Popko said the Rutgers biochemical department’s money comes from the chemical companies so they may have a conflict of interest.
Ms. Popko said the spraying is “giving people a false sense of security,” while killing wild bees that pollinate crops.
Mr. Benowitz said there may not be studies showing bees are affected by Temephos, but there also isn’t any conclusive evidence the chemical is effective in reducing the risk of West Nile Virus.
Mayor Jim Cann said the studies of the chemical that are available were conducted a long time ago or far away, such as in India.
He added that the studies recommend alternating between five different treatments, one of which is BTi, which is believed to be less toxic. Ms. Popko said the county plans to switch to BTi in a few years.
Mr. Cann said the township has not rotated treatments, adding, “I came to vote in favor of the spraying because I didn’t see an alternative. I still don’t.”
Committeeman John Moynihan said he doesn’t doubt the good intentions of any committee members on the issue, and added that responsible people can disagree while observing the same facts. In the end, the committee voted to authorize the spraying in a two to three vote, with Ms. Popko and Mr. Benowitz voting against.

