Except where noted, this information is from research chemist Dr. Edward Todd Urbansky. Although he is employed by the U.S. Air Force and has consulted on behalf of chemical companies and the government, Urbansky has provided this information privately and without pay via letters to Monterey Councilman Jeff Haferman and by phone to the Weekly.

Urbansky stresses that any potential environmental and health effects are dependent on concentration, dose, longevity and other factors. “Most of these things are written from a ‘Precautionary Principle’ standpoint: Assume everything’s harmful until proven otherwise,which is what environmentalists usually do,” he says. “The corporate view is: Assume everything is safe until proven harmful.”

Suterra President Steven Hartmeier tells the Weekly that the CheckMate products are composed of 73 percent water. The active pheromones comprise 24 percent, according to the products’ labels. The inert ingredients make up the other 3 percent.