Beware toxic pesticides used at vacation spots
We’re now more than a month into spring, and summer will be here before you know it. That means many families will be taking spring or summer vacations. Some of will stay in a log cabin by a lake in the mountains, some will take a trip Florida or California for some fun in the sun, and some of us will visit places outside of the country. For those who plan on vacationing outside the United States, it is important to take precautionary measures. An American family on vacation in the Virgin Islands found this out first hand while visiting, when they suddenly became very ill. The EPA cited Terminix as the company responsible for applying the chemical Methyl Bromide, which made the family sick. While most countries do not have as extensive pesticide usage restrictions as the United States, what makes this case unique is that it took place in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was an American company that administered the dangerous toxin. Three of the family members are still hospitalized, and two are in critical condition. Jay Feldman, the executive director of the national nonprofit advocacy group Beyond Pesticides, “advises those with concerns to check with the hotel or resort management ahead of time to ask what chemicals are used. He also suggests that when travelers arrive, they open the doors and windows to their rooms to air them out.”
To learn more about protecting your family from potentially harmful chemicals when traveling abroad, click the link: http://bit.ly/1CuwSkn