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Staff Reporter

Bell Flatirons apartments residents have ash after Marshall Fire

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LOUSIVILLE, Colo. (KDVR) — The Marshall Fire that ripped through Boulder County a little less than two months ago destroyed homes and impacted indoor air conditions for people living in the area.

Directly impacted were Sean and Halley Burkhardt, who have lived at the Bell Flatirons apartment complex for three years. Halley said the fire came within 100 yards of their apartment and now they are dealing with the aftermath of ashes in their unit.

“When there was daylight we could see ash. Specifically in our bedroom,” Halley said.

At first, Halley tried to clean the ash off the blinds and out of the area under the HVAC unit, but she quickly learned it was toxic.

“Both my husband and I have had frequent headaches and dry throats,” Halley said.

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She said she’s emailed, called and visited the apartment complex office asking for professionals to come into the unit to clean the ash.

“I’ve asked them to replace the filters and check the attic space and the insulation up there but they haven’t responded to those requests,” Halley said.

She reached out to the Problem Solvers for help. She told us they have been trying to work with management at the complex for the last several weeks and they hit their breaking point by lack of response.

“We just wish they would prioritize our health and give us a response on what they are doing and make sure everyone is safe,” Halley said.

The couple even went to the extreme of getting a doctor’s note to sent to the complex to help justify the cleaning Halley said needed to happen.

She said they finally received a response from the complex on Friday, asking them to fill out a disability form in order to submit the complaint to corporate to try and get approval for the unit to be cleaned.

A spokesperson for Bell Apartments sent the following statement:

We understand it has been a difficult time with the after-effects of the fire throughout the region. We have worked closely with residents at Bell Flatirons who have come to us with concerns about smoke damage or health issues affected by the region’s air quality. We are willing to discuss potential options and accommodations with any resident who has questions or concerns.”

Bell Flatirons

The spokesperson also said they provided replacement air filters “for the majority of units, including to any residents who specifically requested one.”

Halley said her unit never received a letter that management entered the apartment and changed the filter. She showed the Problem Solvers the door to their HVAC system where the filter would be replaced. It is locked and residents can’t open it.

More Marshall Fire coverage

FOX31 sent that information to the spokesperson, who responded: “As part of going into the units to restart the utilities, we made many of the filter changes at that time. Residents were notified when management planned to restart their utilities but may not necessarily have received an individual notification of their filter change.”

Halley said they were trying to move out, but that seemed like a bigger mountain to climb.

“We were told we would have to pay a $3,600 penalty to break our lease, and on top of moving fees and the housing shortage, it just wasn’t feasible financially,” Halley said.

For now, she said they are relying on a self-purchased air filter they move throughout the unit until they can either get everything cleaned out or find a new place to live. The couple is also meeting with an attorney to help out.

“For the first week the air quality was at 0% and continues to change when the air unit runs,” Halley said.

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Socorro ISD Is Letting Kids Cut Hair In Class Now?

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What happens when you cross an Edgar haircut and a Socorro Independent School District classroom? You get a viral Instagram video. This video popped up on FitFam and it has a lot of people laughing about a few things the video shows.

WHAT IS UP WITH THE CUT AND PASTE HAIRCUT?
The first thing a lot of people commented on was the Edgar haircut that most of the boys in the class seem to have. The Edgar haircut, according to Google is “can be traced to Mexico where teenagers who love pickup trucks have been sporting the haircut for the last decade.” It is identified by the high fade and then a shallow bowl shaped section of short hair on top of the guy’s head. If you’ve seen it, you know, and from the video it seems like the teen cutting hair has given the cut to all his fellow male students.

IS THIS A TECH CLASS?
There is some speculation that this is a tech class in cosmetology but it doesn’t look like it. The rest of the students in the classroom are sitting at their desks and there doesn’t seem to be any of the items you might expect to see if you were taking a cosmetology class.

Instagram/FitFam

DOES THE DISTRICT KNOW ABOUT THIS?
A couple of questions – Is this kid licensed? Does the district know this is going on? Who is going to be responsible if someone gets hurt? Is he getting paid? Are his grades suffering because of this? Is he following safety protocols other than wearing the gloves to protect himself? Does he disinfect his implements between “clients”? It all looks silly and fun but he’s in school, not a salon. Check out the video.

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Univ. of Alabama, health department to fix Black Belt homes

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama typically falls low on lists ranking health in the United States, including those focused on COVID vaccination rates, overall health care and maternal and infant health. Within the state, though, there is one region where disparities in health are the highest: the Black Belt.

These 18 counties, nicknamed for the rich soil that stretches across central Alabama, are home to a large population of Black Alabamians. Minimal health care options combined with high poverty rates and a host of other factors compounded over decades have resulted in increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and other health issues.

The University of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Public Health identified environmental hazards as a contributor to the problem, and they have a plan to address it.

The two institutions recently announced that they are launching a program to provide free home inspections and solutions to approximately 150 low-income homes in the Black Belt.

Inspectors will look for environmental hazards such as indoor air quality, mold, pests, carbon monoxide, lead and asbestos, and if any are discovered, the program will supply repairs up to $10,000 per household.

The inspections and solutions will be funded through a $2 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant that ADPH announced earlier this month.

“The funding is going to be there to not only say, ‘Hey, you’ve got an issue here,’ but to be able to repair and fix those issues so that overall health outcomes are improved in these areas,” project leader Michael Rasbury said.

Rasbury serves as the associate director of UA SafeState, a university program dedicated to solving environmental and occupational health problems in the state.

“The potential hazards are across the board,” he said. “There’s a lot, but some could be simple fixes.”

For example, if a home has a gas stove but no carbon monoxide detector, the group would deem that hazardous to indoor air quality and install a detector.

Another potential problem that project leaders expect to find in many of the homes is mold caused by water intrusion.

“The environment in which people live affects their entire lives,” UA SafeState executive director Donald Elswick said. “With our partners, we looked at what is the greatest need? And by need, where can we make the most impact? Because we know we don’t have unlimited resources.”

Census data — along with the Black Belt’s reputation as an underserved, impoverished region — helped the group decide to focus the project there. While the University of Alabama is not located in Black Belt itself, Sharlene Newman, executive director for the Alabama Life Research, said its proximity played a role as well.

“We want to be good neighbors,” Newman said. “We want to actually get into the communities to hear the community’s voice. We want to find out what they’re actually concerned about, not just using what researchers say are the concerns.”

From other work she has done in the region, Newman expects chronic diseases and mental health to be some of the main concerns among the Black Belt populations.

Mayors of Fort Deposit in Lowndes County, York in Sumter County, Linden in Marengo County, and Lisbon in Choctaw County have already expressed support for the project.

Rasbury and Newman expect some nominations for participating households to come from these community leaders, and they will also have representatives attending various community events throughout the region to recruit participants.

The University of Alabama will host a kickoff meeting for the program on March 23 in Tuscaloosa, and the grant will run for 42 months.

If all goes according to plan, project leaders hope to improve the quality of life for at least 150 households by 2026.

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DEP seeking public comment on new drinking water regulation

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(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking public comment on a new regulation to protect drinking water in Pennsylvania from PFAS chemicals.

The state DEP has announced the 60-day public comment period will begin Feb. 26 and closes April 27.

Pennsylvanians will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule to set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in drinking water for two forms of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – to protect the public from potential adverse developmental and immune system effects linked to exposure to PFOA and PFOS, according to the DEP.

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“Since Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order in 2018, DEP has worked tirelessly to protect Pennsylvanians from these chemicals. This public comment period allows stakeholders to share their feedback and concerns as we continue to put the safety and health of Pennsylvanians first,” stated DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.

Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 to protect public health, including by regulating public water systems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The DEP reports Pennsylvania state authorities first became aware of PFAS in 2013 when the EPA included perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in its Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) for drinking water.

The proposed rule would set an MCL of 14 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and an MCL of 18 ppt for PFOS, which are stricter limits compared to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s lifetime Health Advisory Level (HAL) of 70 ppt for PFOS and PFOA combined.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals, are resistant to heat, water and oil, and persist in the environment and the human body. PFAS are not found naturally in the environment. 

They have been used to make cookware, carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materials that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. They are also used in firefighting foams and in a number of industrial processes.

PFAS have been associated with adverse health effects but are classified by scientists as emerging chemicals because the risks they pose to human health and the environment are not completely understood.

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Public comments can be submitted to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) through DEP’s eComment system at http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment. Comments can also be submitted by e-mail at [email protected]. Written comments can be mailed to the Environmental Quality Board, P.O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477.

Comments must have a subject heading of the proposed rulemaking and the name and address of the person submitting the comment.

In addition to the public comment period, the EQB will hold five virtual public hearings:

  • Monday, March 21, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 6:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.
  • Friday, March 25, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.

According to the EPA, about 10 percent of people in the United States rely on water from private wells.

The EPA has guidance online for residents to test their well water. You can also contact your local health department to find out what substances may be common in your area’s groundwater.

More information on Pennsylvania’s efforts to address PFAS can be found at www.dep.pa.gov/PFAS.

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Mopping can create air pollution that rivals city streets | Science

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Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but a new study suggests it could have an unexpected downside: A few minutes of mopping indoors with a fresh-scented cleaning product can generate as many airborne particles as vehicles on a busy city street. The finding suggests custodians and professional cleaners may be at risk of health effects from frequent exposure to these suspended tiny particles, known as aerosols.

“I was absolutely amazed that mopping produced potentially harmful aerosols at similar rates to those generated by traffic on a busy street,” says Nicola Carslaw of the University of York who investigates indoor air pollution but was not involved with the study. “The people who should be paying particular attention to this paper are NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,” adds Glenn Morrison, an environmental scientist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was also not involved. “There is a lot of particle formation during these cleaning events, even under conditions that we would consider very normal.”

The air in homes, schools, and offices can sometimes be dirtier than the air outdoors, even in cities with pollution problems. Any kind of burning—candles, incense, cigarettes—is bad. Gas stoves and cooking food also spew unhealthy particles into the air, which can cause asthma and other health problems when breathed in. Other significant sources of indoor air pollution include personal care and cleaning products, whose fragrances contain volatile organic chemicals that react with ozone in the air to form small particles known as aerosols.

One molecule of concern is limonene, a commonly added to cleaners and furniture polish to help remove oil and grease. The lemon-scented molecule reacts readily with ozone, an outdoor pollutant that is the main ingredient in smog. When ozone wafts into buildings, it reacts with limonene and similar molecules called monoterpenes, turning them into peroxides, alcohols, and other molecules that grow into airborne particles. Small particles can lodge deep in the lungs, irritating cells and—at high enough exposure—leading to health problems, such as asthma. In vulnerable people, particulate air pollution can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Previous studies found cleaning products can generate such pollution. But not all of these experiments were realistic or detailed. The new study was designed to reveal, minute by minute, what happens with airborne reactions during a typical floor cleaning. Researchers brought their lab instruments into a room with an air volume of 50 cubic meters, about half the size of a semitrailer container. In the morning, they mopped the floor for 12 to 14 minutes with a terpene-based cleaner. Then, they used state-of-the-art instruments to monitor the molecules and particles as they reacted over the next 90 minutes. “This is the first study that really looked at the entire chemical process under realistic indoor conditions,” says co-author Philip Stevens, an atmospheric chemist at Indiana University, Bloomington.

After the researchers collected data from the room, they calculated how many particles smaller than half a micron a person there would inhale during mopping. Using a standard computer model, the team reports today in Science Advances that an average person would breathe in about 1 billion to 10 billion nanoparticles each minute. That’s equivalent to vehicle traffic on a busy street in a typical U.S. or European city. It’s also about the same as cooking with a gas stove or lighting a candle.

The researchers also detected short-lived molecules called radicals, like hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl, that are known to drive reactions that create particles outdoors. But the new research shows they can also form indoors, from reactions between monoterpenes and ozone. “The rate at which it occurs indoors is surprising,” says co-author Colleen Rosales, a postdoc at the University of California, Davis. Carslaw adds that this “really important finding” should raise concerns about indoor air quality.
What about opening windows? The ventilation in the laboratory, similar to a typical office building, was not powerful enough to remove the particles. Ventilation can also be a double-edged sword, researchers say. It removes particles, but it can also bring in more dangerous ozone from outdoors.

Keeping ozone levels below one part per billion—either by reducing ventilation or using activated carbon air filters—would help reduce particle formation, the researchers say. So would cleaning in the morning or evening, when ozone levels tend to be lower, and avoiding products with limonene or other kinds of terpenes. Portable air filters can also reduce the concentration of particles inside rooms, says co-author Brandon Boor, a civil engineer at Purdue University.

Fortunately, time also helps: In the hours after cleaning, the newly formed particles grow in size, after which they settle out of the air. While resting on surfaces, the particles are harmless.

The larger problem, Boor says, is the scarcity of regulations for the design and operation of buildings—and the use of various common chemicals inside them—with respect to air quality. “We need to pay closer attention to what’s going on in indoor environments.”

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EPA seeks explanations, solutions from Hanover Foods for numerous violations at company’s wastewater treatment facility

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PHILADELPHIA (February 25, 2022) –  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking legal action to get Hanover Foods Corporation to address numerous alleged violations at the company’s wastewater treatment facility in Hanover, Pennsylvania that included excessive levels of contaminants as well as floating solids and visible scum in the discharged water and receiving water.

“The number of alleged violations observed during inspections is appalling,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The company needs to identify why this occurred and present a plan to fix this so that the local waters that eventually feed into the Chesapeake Bay are protected.”

Under a consent order with EPA, Hanover Foods will conduct a study to determine the cause and how to correct these alleged water pollution violations that were identified during inspections by EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

EPA alleges the company has failed to comply with a state-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to operate its own wastewater treatment facility at 1486 York Street to treat industrial waste before wastewater is discharged to Oil Creek, a tributary of Codorus Creek that feeds into the Susquehanna River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Environmental inspections identified numerous alleged violations at the facility including:

  • Discharges of water exceeding permit effluent discharge limitations
  • Floating solids and visible scum in wastewater and receiving water
  • Violations of the permit’s operation and maintenance conditions

In an Administrative Order on Consent, the company has agreed to provide EPA with a complete engineering evaluation and propose and implement a corrective action plan and maintenance plan to correct the alleged violations. This work is a first step in addressing the company’s discharge of pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

EPA is working with Pennsylvania DEP during the development of this action.

For more information on treating wastewater and the NPDES process, visit:  https://www.epa.gov/npdes.

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Filed Under: EPA

EU must recognise indoor air pollution as a health risk

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EUROPE: A group of leading European HVAC and building engineering associations are for EU recognition of indoor air pollution as a risk to human health.

In a joint statement, the group, which includes EPEE, AREA and the EHPA, insist that the proper use of air quality systems will help reduce transmission of Covid-19 in office spaces, according to research. 

The European Union, they say, does not currently recognise indoor air pollution as a risk to human health in the way it does outdoor pollution.

The statement sets out the dangers of indoor air pollution and outlines proposals that would clean up indoor air. These include proper mechanical ventilation and alternatives including window airing, air treatment technologies and building automation and control systems.

It insists that the lack of a “coherent EU legislative framework” for addressing indoor air pollution makes the upcoming revision of EU policies a key opportunity to support reduced air transmission of Covid-19.

The statement proposes adding quality standards and policies to a range of relevant directives, frameworks, such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Occupational Safety and Health, Strategic Framework, and public procurement practices.

In addition to the above, the statement is also signed by the European Ventilation Industry Association, the European Building Automation and Controls Association, GCP Europe – European association for building engineering services and LightingEurope.

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EPHA President, Alice Chapman-Hatchett: Personal Reflection on COVID-19

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As I write, I am conscious that we are approaching the two-year anniversary of COVID-19’s arrival in Europe. My last in-person meeting was an EPHA Board meeting in early March 2020, and I recall us all wondering around the table quite what the future would hold.

In 2022 much of the answer to that question has been made clear: we understand far more about COVID-19, and have a number of valuable tools available to us now that we could only dream of as 2020 unfolded. However, there still remains much we do not know (particularly around the long-term effects of the virus, as well as, and separate from, Long-COVID) and much to be done. COVID-19 has highlighted the health inequalities that are familiar to all of us; but also created new ones.

In a small way I found myself caught up in this over Christmas. Health tourism was something I never thought I would do, but as the UK government removed all COVID-19 mitigations from primary schools whilst failing to open up vaccination to children aged 5-11, I took the decision to drive from the UK to Italy to enable my daughter (aged 9) to be vaccinated. Both she and I have dual citizenship, making this a possibility for us. This straightforward decision on my behalf was picked up by both UK and Italian press: in the UK I was advocating for parental choice, given the lack of other protective measures, whereas in Italy my story was presented as a ‘call to vaccination’ in a country with a previously high level of vaccine hesitancy. EPHA has long recognised the value of vaccination, and the threat to public health of vaccine hesitancy, and in my view: better the known risks of vaccination than the potential unknown effects of COVID infection over time. As things stand, children will be able to be vaccinated in the UK but only from April. Latest data estimates that 71.2% of 8-11 year olds have COVID antibodies acquired through infection: a potential huge problem for the future if the virus does cause long-term health effects.  

Italy’s response to the pandemic has been clear: messaging has focused on protections being necessary to safeguard the most vulnerable in society, rather than presenting them as restrictions being imposed which remove civil liberties. However, I feel that COVID-19 is not being viewed holistically: the global health community seems to be relying heavily on a pharmaceutical response to the pandemic (vaccines and antivirals) and ignoring the bigger picture: air quality. In the mid 1800s John Snow tracked the spread of cholera in London to one water pump in Broad Street and from this the recognition of the importance of sanitation and clean drinking water grew. COVID-19 is as yet unlike the airbourne diseases we have learnt to live with: highly transmissible, and with high mortality rates.

We are also starting to understand the negative impact that existing air pollution has: potentially making humans more vulnerable to viruses causing respiratory infections, such as COVID-19. Surely than this is our John Snow moment: we need to be able to guarantee the quality of the air we all breathe, particularly that of our indoor air. In the same way that Snow’s discovery led to collaboration between health and engineering to construct sewers and safe means of supplying water; we should be collaborating to create healthy-air environments for living, and working, and breathing. Air filtration in enclosed spaces, including in homes, and air hygiene ratings on public spaces should surely become the new norm.

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Iowa drinking water from Mississippi River has ‘forever chemicals’

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Drinking water that is drawn from the Mississippi River by three Iowa cities has toxic chemicals that persist indefinitely in the environment, according to test results released this week by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Burlington, Davenport and Keokuk drinking water that goes to a combined total of more than 183,000 residents contains trace amounts of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.”

The DNR tests of the water are part of the department’s survey of dozens of community water supplies across the state in recent months. Previously published tests found PFAS in Ames, Sioux City, Rock Valley and West Des Moines water.

The new data also show the presence of PFAS in other Mississippi River towns of Camanche and Muscatine, but they draw water from wells.

The tests revealed combined concentrations of two prominent PFAS — perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) — of fewer than 10 parts per trillion, which is well below the current federal safety threshold of 70 parts per trillion. However, it was the first time the DNR tests found the chemicals in notable concentrations in a major river, where large amounts of water can hide contaminations.

“There’s a huge dilution factor,” said Shane Johnson, general manager of Burlington Municipal Waterworks.

Tests of Burlington water found combined PFAS concentrations of 6.5 parts per trillion in the raw water that is drawn from the Mississippi and slightly higher concentrations of 7.2 parts per trillion in its treated water. The city will test its water every three months to monitor the contaminant levels.

The precise sources of contamination are unclear because the river drains such a large area upstream, including parts of Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“You don’t know what’s above you,” Johnson said. “You don’t know who’s dumping what in there.”

In 2018, the state of Minnesota reached an $850 million settlement with 3M Company — a major manufacturer of the chemicals that have been used to make non-stick and stain-resistant coatings for a variety of household items. The case involved the contamination of about 150 square miles of groundwater near the Mississippi and one of its tributaries, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

No other tests of municipal water supplies in Iowa along the river were planned as part of the DNR’s recent survey, said Corey McCoid, a supervisor of the DNR’s Water Supply Operations Section. He said the tests are not meant to determine sources of contamination, but that upstream industrial facilities and wastewater plants are likely contributors.

McCoid said tests of Illinois cities along the Mississippi have yielded similar results.

David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination at the University of Iowa, reviewed Iowa’s results and was troubled by the consistency of the contamination of a large river, as measured in cities that are many miles apart.

“This suggests that the Mississippi River, at least along the 100-mile plus stretch between Davenport down to Keokuk, contains a mixture of PFAS chemicals, and any other community in that area using the Mississippi as a water supply could be vulnerable to PFAS exposure,” Cwiertny said. “Given the size of the Mississippi River, at those concentrations, we are talking on the order of kilograms of PFAS chemicals per day being discharged down the Mississippi.”

He said the test results further illustrate the pervasiveness of PFAS in the environment. Researchers have been unable to determine how long it takes the chemicals to degrade naturally, and they have a tendency to accumulate in people’s bodies. Research has shown the chemicals can cause cancers and other ailments when ingested by people.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the vast majority of Americans have detectable amounts of PFAS in their blood.

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Connecticut Department of Agriculture Warns Poultry Producers of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

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Press Releases

02/20/2022

Connecticut Department of Agriculture Warns Poultry Producers of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

(STATEWIDE) Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) advises all poultry owners that United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Suffolk County, New York. This is in addition to other recent detections throughout the Atlantic Flyway which has affected commercial and backyard flocks in Nova Scotia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.

CT DoAg officials have been reaching out to poultry and egg farms across the state to ensure best practices are being implemented and will continue to do so as part of the state and federal surveillance program.

Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources  

With the detection of avian influenza in a backyard flock on Long Island, Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Commissioner of Agriculture, Bryan P. Hurlburt said, “Now is the time for all poultry owners in Connecticut to take this risk seriously. Connecticut has a thriving commercial poultry industry and thousands of hobbyists who keep chickens, ducks, and other poultry. It is important that we do all we can to protect our birds.”

Action steps for backyard flocks include:

  • Protect flocks from coming into contact with wild or migratory birds, bring your birds inside
  • Restricting access to your property and your flock
  • Clean and disinfect your clothes, shoes, equipment, and hands
  • Don’t haul disease home if you have been near other birds or bird owners
  • Don’t risk disease from your neighbor (do not borrow equipment and poultry supplies from other bird owners)
  • Know the warning signs 
  • Report sick birds

As we get into warmer weather in late spring the risk should subside, but for now poultry should not be allowed outside to eliminate contact with wild birds, and especially wild waterfowl.

Signs of avian influenza include sudden increase in bird deaths, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, watery or green diarrhea, lack of energy, poor appetite, drop in egg production, swelling around the eyes, neck, and head, and purple discoloration of wattles, combs, and legs. To report sick birds, unexplained high number of deaths, or sudden drop in egg production, contact the State Veterinarian at 860-713-2505 or [email protected] or the USDA at 866-536-7593.

Avian influenza does not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state’s citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state’s economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov.

 

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For Immediate Release: Sunday, February 20, 2022

Contact: Rebecca Eddy, 860-573-0323, [email protected]  

 

http://www.ctgrown.gov

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Originally Appeared Here