Malathion Spraying and Need for an EIR

I would encourage the residents of Orange County, the Board of Supervisors . . . and others responsible for the health and welfare of the people to insist upon a thorough environmental impact report before any further malathion spraying is permitted. There is ample scientific evidence that malathion may be a dangerous carcinogen, as well as a neurologic toxin. Spraying everything in the hope of killing a few Medflies is about a nutty as trying to control AIDS by nuking San Francisco.

The “authorities” would have you believe that malathion is harmless as applied. That’s what they said about DDT and Alar. And what’s really outrageous is that these agencies were frequently aware of toxicity problems but chose to cover them up.

Malathion is a poison, and I find it highly immoral to place people in jeopardy because the Agriculture Department bureaucracy is either too stupid, too cheap, or both to keep a sufficient supply of sterile Medflies in continuous circulation, as well as for emergencies. Surely a multimillion-dollar industry doesn’t have to be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

PHILLIP CUTLER

Costa Mesa