Orchard Hills - Pesticides

JBean72

New member
This has been discussed in a prior thread, but I wanted to get feedback on any concerns about pesticide levels, particularly in Orchard Hills.

I for one have noticed increase in allergy-like symptoms since moving here from another area. Has anyone else noticed the same thing that lives here, and any concerns at all regarding the pesticide levels in OH?

 
aquabliss said:
Placebo effect perhaps.

All of our family members have it, and even people that come here for the day and stay regularly (long hours) state they notice more allergy-like stuff without us prompting or bringing it up.

Also, isn't placebo effect when someone takes something (aka sugar pill) and miraculously feels better. Or putting a bandaid on a child makes them feel better. That's placebo effect.
 
JBean72 said:
This has been discussed in a prior thread, but I wanted to get feedback on any concerns about pesticide levels, particularly in Orchard Hills.

I for one have noticed increase in allergy-like symptoms since moving here from another area. Has anyone else noticed the same thing that lives here, and any concerns at all regarding the pesticide levels in OH?

I doubt it...allergies have increased dramatically do to the drought and recent hot weather.  All of Irvine was farm land at one point not too long past.

What makes you think of pesticides and why especially it relates to OH?
 
Irvinecommuter said:
JBean72 said:
This has been discussed in a prior thread, but I wanted to get feedback on any concerns about pesticide levels, particularly in Orchard Hills.

I for one have noticed increase in allergy-like symptoms since moving here from another area. Has anyone else noticed the same thing that lives here, and any concerns at all regarding the pesticide levels in OH?

I doubt it...allergies have increased dramatically do to the drought and recent hot weather.  All of Irvine was farm land at one point not too long past.

What makes you think of pesticides and why especially it relates to OH?

I hope you're right, we need a good dose of rain right now.

I was just concerned with the Avocado Orchards, didn't know if they used aerial pesticide spray, or how they treat the orchards. There was a thread on this now that I've done a quick search with the Strada side of OH.
http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php?topic=12942.0

Does anyone else think this is a major concern? Hopefully after we get some rain, things will improve with the allergy like symptoms. I just didn't know if being in close proximity to the Avocado orchards should be a major issue.

Then again, we moved away from a neighborhood that was really close to a cell tower, so I guess you just can't win! ;)
 
JBean72 said:
Irvinecommuter said:
JBean72 said:
This has been discussed in a prior thread, but I wanted to get feedback on any concerns about pesticide levels, particularly in Orchard Hills.

I for one have noticed increase in allergy-like symptoms since moving here from another area. Has anyone else noticed the same thing that lives here, and any concerns at all regarding the pesticide levels in OH?

I doubt it...allergies have increased dramatically do to the drought and recent hot weather.  All of Irvine was farm land at one point not too long past.

What makes you think of pesticides and why especially it relates to OH?

I hope you're right, we need a good dose of rain right now.

I was just concerned with the Avocado Orchards, didn't know if they used aerial pesticide spray, or how they treat the orchards. There was a thread on this now that I've done a quick search with the Strada side of OH.
http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php?topic=12942.0

Does anyone else think this is a major concern? Hopefully after we get some rain, things will improve with the allergy like symptoms. I just didn't know if being in close proximity to the Avocado orchards should be a major issue.

Then again, we moved away from a neighborhood that was really close to a cell tower, so I guess you just can't win! ;)

OH hasn't been farmef on for many years...it was supposed to start in 2007 but the economic world blew up.  Aerial dusting would affect a much area than just OH. 

If you live there, you are probably reacting to the construction dust.

Life is too good if cell towers and past farms are your main concerns.
 
The issue reported by JBean72 is very concerning. Any one who lives in OH, please share your experiences. @Irvinecommuter - do you live in OH? Are you not experiencing similar problems due to aerial spray of pesticides?
 
The only allergies we've been experiencing as OH residents have been from post-COE construction dust. A lot of pollen comes from the forest of weeds growing in the unlandscaped backyard, so that also tends to cause some sneezing and sniffling.

The allergies may also be from bug bites. A lot of bugs reside in OH, but that isn't completely out of the ordinary for a new home community. A day doesn't pass without us killing a spider or two in our house.
 
Jbean,

I share your sentiment that this is at least a little bit concerning and in my opinion it should be investigated.  You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by looking into it.  One day everyone will realize their most valuable asset is their and their family's health.  So many people on this thread care so much about monetary assets and will go to extremes to take care of their money but will not invest much into their health... Hence, I have noticed MANY people on these boards having a very dismissive attitude towards concerns like this.  The fact that you and everyone else in your family is symptomatic should tell you something is going on.  It is not by coincidence that everyone in your family and even your guests have symptoms.  Now whether that is related to the avocado orchards, pesticides or something else in your house is a different matter.  Allergies are a symptom that something is present that your body does not like.  Its as simple as that.  It may be nothing, but it may also be something significant.  Hence I think you should at least investigate it some more. 

Since you brought up pesticides I will just add a few things.  Pesticides are EVERYWHERE.  Youre best bet is to minimize the exposure since you cannot avoid it.  The main reason is because most pesticides store up in fat and they can stay there a long time.  They can cause a whole host of issues which would take me forever to list.  My biggest issue with pesticides is that they can be epigenetic, meaning they can change the way your genes expresses itself.  This can cause changes in your children and children's children, etc.  Whether you believe in this organic versus non organic debate, the reason people choose to eat organics is mainly because of pesticide use in foods. 

With that all said, I have no idea if you are seeing symptoms from pesticides or just dust like someone mentioned before (although dust is not a good thing either as particular matter is known to be a MAJOR cause of lung/heart problems and should be avoided) or something completely different.  I would even throw out sick building syndrome since you live in OH and its a new house.  I mentioned this in previous threads but most new builds have very poor indoor air quality.  Builders are not required to test for this nor tell buyers regarding poor air quality.  Many things builders use are of poor and cheap quality and unfortunately these things off gas chemicals.  Carpet, glues, any pressed woods (flooring/cabinets), paints and actually even electronics are common culprits.  You can build houses using materials with low to no off gassing, but you wont find that here in new Irvine builds.  Your best bet is to ventilate as much as you can and invest in a good non-ionic air filtration system.  If you have more questions feel free to PM. 


 
aquabliss said:
Placebo effect perhaps.

placebo wouldnt affect EVERYONE in her family and guests.  typical rate is 30%.  Also in order to have a placebo affect, there has to be some suggested cause and effect relationship...  Unless Jbean has suggested pesticides are causing allergies to everyone and she is suggesting they are getting pesticides this wouldnt be a placebo.
 
French court confirms Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning
Reuters
Sep 10, 2015 12:09 PM

LYON/PARIS, France (Reuters) - A French court upheld on Thursday a 2012 ruling in which Monsanto was found guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer, who says he suffered neurological problems after inhaling the U.S. company's Lasso weedkiller.

The decision by an appeal court in Lyon, southeast France, confirmed the initial judgment, the first such case heard in court in France, that ruled Monsanto was "responsible" for the intoxication and ordered the company to "fully compensate" grain grower Paul Francois.

Monsanto's lawyer said the U.S. biotech company would now take the case to France's highest appeal court.

Francois, who says he suffered memory loss, headaches and stammering after inhaling Monsanto's Lasso in 2004, blames the agri-business giant for not providing adequate warnings on the product label.

Lasso, a pre-emergent soil-applied herbicide that has been used since the 1960s to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in farm fields, was banned in France in 2007 after the product had already been withdrawn in other countries such as Canada, Belgium and Britain.

Monsanto phased out of Lasso in the United States several years ago for commercial reasons, its spokesman in France said.

Though it once was a top-selling herbicide, it gradually lost popularity, and critics say several studies have shown links to a range of health problems.

Monsanto said in a statement after the ruling that experts, including those nominated by the French civil court, had not found any causal link between the alleged accidental exposure and the alleged damages for which Francois claims compensation.

The company's lawyer, Jean-Daniel Bretzner, said a potential fine to compensate for the farmer's loss would be decided after the decision of the highest court but he said that in any case it would be very low.

"We are speaking about modest sums of money or even nonexistent. He already received indemnities (by insurers) and there is a fundamental rule that says that one does not compensate twice for a loss, if any," Jean-Daniel Bretzner said.

Lasso is not Monsanto's sole herbicide accused of being harmful.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in March that glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, one of the world's most used herbicides, was "probably carcinogenic to humans."

Monsanto reacted to the finding in June by demanding a retraction, labeling the findings by a team of international cancer scientists as "junk science."
 
The only spraying I have seen so far is the guy dressed up in white with the tank on his back spraying the avocados. I would assume if they were to do aerial spraying, they would need to notify the residents first, just like they did in the 80's with the aerial spraying of the fruit fly. OH School sent an email about the West Nile spraying, even though OH was not being sprayed. On a side note, according to OC Register, the county cancelled the West Nile spraying because they couldn't get the permit to fly over Disneyland, since it's restricted air space.

When I moved in, I did a deep cleaning from top to bottom and every inch of the house, since there was a massive amount of construction dust. This company will do every inch of your house. http://www.cleanandwash.com/restoration-services/

I have family members with allergies, so I programmed the FAU fan to turn on every hour for 5-10 minutes to recirculate the air.
 
Wow, didn't expect so many replies to this, thanks for the support.

My main concern is for our son. His symptoms are the worst, and he's only 3.

If it were adults with mature immune systems, I wouldn't be as concerned, but as I stated, many regular visitors have noticed a change in their allergy symptoms being here for long hours during the day.

We aren't even major sticklers when it comes to organic produce, but we try our best to avoid anything that could be potentially harmful.

So is the verdict that in OH in particular, they are not doing aerial spraying, but spraying the avocado orchards with pesticide spray manually? Seems like a lot of manual labor to do that with so many trees in our area and over by Strada.

Maybe it is the construction dust that's causing some of the allergies, but I can say without a doubt, since moving to this area, our symptoms have worsened, and I've never had allergies this bad.

When we took a week trip to the East coast, they were literally gone, and my son wasn't itching his nose every 5 seconds like he does now.

That is a big concern for us, even short-term exposure, so I wanted to get any feedback from people living here, and especially with kids. Are you experiencing the same symptoms?

We've lived in new construction areas too with lots of dust, and never had this before so.....
 
Dresden215 said:
The only spraying I have seen so far is the guy dressed up in white with the tank on his back spraying the avocados. I would assume if they were to do aerial spraying, they would need to notify the residents first, just like they did in the 80's with the aerial spraying of the fruit fly. OH School sent an email about the West Nile spraying, even though OH was not being sprayed. On a side note, according to OC Register, the county cancelled the West Nile spraying because they couldn't get the permit to fly over Disneyland, since it's restricted air space.

When I moved in, I did a deep cleaning from top to bottom and every inch of the house, since there was a massive amount of construction dust. This company will do every inch of your house. http://www.cleanandwash.com/restoration-services/

I have family members with allergies, so I programmed the FAU fan to turn on every hour for 5-10 minutes to recirculate the air.

We also did the same thing when we moved in - a thorough deep cleaning, but maybe we need to do this again just for extra safety measures.

I think a simple test for pesticides should remedy any concern regarding this - I do hope it's all the construction dust and allergens from the weeds and plants as others have said, but for peace of mind, I think we will just take the extra step. Doesn't hurt.
 
Perspective said:
For what it's worth, Claritin D supplies are low/gone at two Targets near me in Irvine.

Haha! Very telling :D

If you're talking about regular Claritin OTC vs the Claritin D which has pseudoephedrine aka "Speed" in it, people buy Claritin D for other "recreational purposes" so that could be why it's always out of stock lol (they used to stock that OTC, but now it's behind the counter)

 
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