Metro Health institutes new mosquito spraying policy

The Metro Board of Health has passed a new mosquito spraying policy that provides more stringent guidelines for how often Metro sprays, but removes the rights of citizens to opt out so their property avoids contact with pesticides.

Metro Director of Health Dr. William Paul said at the board’s regular meeting this week that the new policy is in place to deal with the spread of mosquito-transmitted disease like West Nile and not to deal with “comfort issues” often associated with spraying pesticides.

“There are two different decisions to spray,” he said. “Some places have mosquito control programs aimed at making life more comfortable, getting rid of the nuisance of mosquitoes. The other kind is spraying for viruses.”

With just four cases of West Nile in Nashville since 2002, and one death according to Paul, the more stringent guidelines are in order.

The Metro Health Department will regularly check its dozen or so traps around the city and send them to the state Health Department to be tested for West Nile. Metro Health Department workers will also address the overall population issue with larvacides.

Paul said the net effect of the new policy is Nashvillians will notice less spraying, while the danger of West Nile spreading still will be addressed. Last year the department didn’t spray once and this year’s new policy means spraying will occur only when West Nile-infected mosquito levels are high enough to warrant doing so.

While the new policy has been applauded by Metro Council members for being based on science, there is a group of citizens upset they can no longer opt out, among other issues, like whether spraying must stop if pedestrians are within eyesight.

Rachel Sumner led a group of citizens against those aspects of the policy. Sumner said the new policy still has the potential to have a negative impact on those with health conditions that don’t want to come into contact with the pesticide.

“The new policy might call for less spraying, but the truth is no one knows if they’re going to have to spray for West Nile, because no one can predict that,” Sumner said. “And that means there are still people out there who could get sprayed who don’t want to be.”

The Board of Health still passed the new policy unanimously and Paul pointed out the federal Environmental Protection Agency does not call for an opt-out protocol.