County employee was handling mosquito pellets appropriately

Editor:

Re the Aug. 28 letter to the editor from Estella Hernandez, Larvacide shouldnt be handled without gloves:

This letter took a Columbia County employee to task for being pictured distributing Larvacide pellets without wearing gloves.

The strongly worded letter even went so far as to state that the employee should be reprimanded for showing his ignorance on the front page of the newspaper.

The photo, which accompanied an article regarding mosquito control programs in Columbia County, was taken to illustrate to the public what the Larvacide pellets look like and how they are distributed. At no time did the employee use incorrect procedures in his illustration.

We would like to assure the public that the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on Altosid clearly states that there are no adverse reactions to humans or animals from normal exposure, and that this product is not a regulated substance.

Our employees practice safety measures and take pride in putting safety first in their daily jobs and lives. We regret that Hernandez misunderstood the proper procedures and would be happy to give her a tour and information about the pellets at her convenience.

Kevin Lear, Director,

Construction & Maintenance

Pam Tucker, Director

Emergency Services

Columbia County