Minimizing Pollution

While The Times (Feb. 10) headlines the story of the slow-growth initiative, this voter would like to address another issue that may be worthy of public attention before the June election.

The issue is pollution. Apart from the evils of personal smoking, the air we breathe in Orange County is polluted with chemicals that are harmful to all residents. One reason it is such a problem for some residents, particularly in the Anaheim area, is that there is no dividing line between industrial plants and residential dwellings. If zoning had been properly enforced years ago, we would not be living next to industrial plants or freeways.

We have air-quality agencies to tell us when we have smog. Why can’t we develop detection posts that quickly determine the source and content of pollutants in our air and on the ground? Why can’t filters be used to minimize the hazards of these emissions over large residential areas?

Cutting down on future industrial and residential growth is one thing, but what can we voters look forward to that will solve the problem we now have?

SHELDON J. KARLAN

Buena Park