Coincidence? You Decide.
While driving along Arlington Road around noon today, I came across a discarded container for a Restricted Use Pesticide.
Could this be one step closer to identifying what I may have been exposed to during last Sunday's aerial spray incident? Maybe. Maybe not.
What I do know is that after the spraying occurred, I experienced headaches, itchy skin, eye irritation, and generally felt unwell through Wednesday...honestly, for much of the week.
The product appears to contain triclopyr, a herbicide that has been associated with acute effects including eye irritation, skin sensitization, dizziness, drowsiness, respiratory irritation, and gastrointestinal irritation. Animal studies have also reported impacts on the blood, liver, kidneys, and nervous system.
Am I claiming this proves what I was exposed to? No. Certainly was close enough.
But this is exactly why so many of us are asking for something simple: advance notification and transparency.
When pesticide spraying occurs, people deserve to know:
When it is happening
Where it is happening
What is being applied
Without that information, residents are left guessing. If symptoms develop after a spray event, how can anyone make informed decisions about their health without knowing what chemicals may have been used nearby?
Transparency should not be controversial. At a minimum, communities deserve access to timely information about pesticide applications occurring around them.
If you agree that Virginians should be notified before pesticide spraying takes place, please continue sharing this petition and helping raise awareness.
Sources
NPIC: https://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/triclopyrgen.html
EPA: https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/fs_G-82_1-Oct-98.pdf
SF Forest Alliance: https://sfforest.org/2024/02/20/garlon-the-dangers-of-triclopyr/
ALT2Tox: https://www.alt2tox.org/tox_profile-triclopyr.htm
Photo: A discarded Restricted Use Pesticide container lies along the shoulder of Arlington Road in Northampton County, Virginia. The weathered white jug, identified as CrossOver Pro Herbicide, rests among roadside grass and vegetation, with its warning label still visible. The product contains herbicidal chemicals used for brush and broadleaf weed control and is classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide due to environmental concerns. The container appears abandoned near the roadway, raising questions about its origin, disposal, and whether pesticide applications have recently occurred in the surrounding area.