Over the years, The TATIB Foundation has received a large number of complaints from residents of Paarl, following their exposure to spray drift of toxic fungicides that Drakenstein Municipality has been spraying on the Oak trees that line the public streets. If you look back through the older posts you will see how the story has developed.
We have sent many letters to Drakenstein over the years, but they have continued to spray without any regard for public safety.
On 06 October 2010, we sent a letter to Cathy Bill of the Green Scorpions . See link below :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/68170080/Letter-to-Cathy-Bill-Re-Spraying-of-Oak-Trees
On 16 September 2011 at 05h25, a group of 8 cyclists who were training for a triathlon, were caught in spray drift on the corner of Market & Main Street in Paarl. There were immediate side effects of burning eyes, skin and irritation to upper respiratory tracts, and then lung problems after 4 days.
The TATIB Foundation sent an urgent email to Drakenstein's Albert vd Merwe and also to Drakenstein's attorneys on record, in an attempt to establish exactly what was sprayed so that the victims could get the necessary medical attention as a matter of priority. As expected, neither Drakenstein Municipality nor their attorneys responded.
TATIB investigated and it has been confirmed that Bumper/Tilt & Rubigan were sprayed.
The TATIB Foundation sent an urgent email to Drakenstein's Albert vd Merwe and also to Drakenstein's attorneys on record, in an attempt to establish exactly what was sprayed so that the victims could get the necessary medical attention as a matter of priority. As expected, neither Drakenstein Municipality nor their attorneys responded.
TATIB investigated and it has been confirmed that Bumper/Tilt & Rubigan were sprayed.
The statutory Product Labels have the following warnings :-
( i ) Harmful when swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
( ii ) May irritate the eyes and skin.
(iii ) Toxic to fish and wildlife.
(iv ) Store in a cool, well ventilated place.
(v ) Store away from food and feed.
(vi) Keep out of reach of children, uninformed persons and animals
(vii) Handle with care.
(viii) Poisonous when swallowed or inhaled
(ix) Avoid spray drift onto other crops, grazing, rivers, dams and areas not under treatment.
(x) Use only as directed
TATIB can now confirm that Affidavits were deposed, and charges laid at the local SAPS on 08 October 2011 !!
Further information on Bumper & Tilt, their product labels, MSDS's and toxic breakdown products can be found here :
Further information on Rubigan its product label, MSDS and toxic breakdown products can be found here :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47935818/Rubigan-Label
We urge anyone who has come into contact with spray drift, with regards to the spraying of the Oak trees in Paarl [or Stellenbosch] to please make contact with us on : info@tatib.co.za
Fantastic!! It is about time that someone put a stop to this kind of illegal activity.
ReplyDeleteWe have been complaining to Paarl Municip about this for years, but it simply falls on deaf ears and they carry on as if we did not exist.
We know of around 20 people who have complained and so we are sure there are lots more. The pics are shocking!!!
We live in Stellenbosch and were sprayed on the evening of 11 October, around midnight. The spray from a bakkie blew through our window when the Municipality sprayed the oak trees outside in the street. Please help us, this is getting out of hand now. We are getting nosebleeds, sinus problems and feel ill during the spraying season.
ReplyDeleteTo all the affected parties (Stellenbosch included) there is no need to take air or spray drift samples and expose themselves to potentially toxic chemicals.
ReplyDeleteI have just re-read act 36 of 1947 and want to raise the following points:
11 Application of Agricultural Remedies
(1) The pest control operator must issue a treatment notice before applying any agricultural remedies. A pre - treatment notice must contain…
(2) A pest control operator must provide the abovementioned treatment notice at least 72 hours prior to a proposed agricultural remedies use.
(a) ...
(b) … the pre - treatment notice must be given to the occupants adjacent (within five kilometer radius) to the treated area.
(3) A treatment notice must be in the format of a sign of at least 550 cm2 in size (a letter size sheet of paper). The sign must…
(4) Treatment notices must be posted so that the notice is clearly visible and will provide notice of the agricultural remedies use to any person approaching the treatment area and must not be removed by the pest control operator for 48 hours after the agricultural remedies use.
In other words, if you see spray activity taking place, take a picture and lay a charge at the police station. You do not need to prove what is being used. The simple fact that you don’t know proves that no notices were distributed and no warning signage was erected.
Remember, the area that notices need to be posted is a radius of 5km.
If enough people take action and lay charges then the municipality will be forced to change their spray policy.
Dear Anonymous, you are 100% correct with the above post!! Thank you for your contribution
ReplyDelete