Malathion Spraying, Assurances of Safety

As a potentially affected individual, as a member of the Orange County community, and more importantly, as a parent of young children, I have great concern about the spraying of the pesticide malathion over our populated areas.

I know that numerous governmental officials have, with sincerity and probably in reliance upon the best information available, assured us that there is no risk to the residents of the sprayed areas (although our cars should be covered!).

I cannot, however, help but be reminded of certain other occasions of ill-advised governmental assurances that no harm would come to the exposed: nuclear weapons tests in the 1940s and 1950s, and Agent Orange usage in Vietnam, over and around our soldiers and others.

The overwhelming message I gather from various environment-related stories over the past couple of decades is that we all too often do not understand enough about the dangers and long-term effects of the substances we use and discard. The evidence of this glaring fact is all around us: ozone layer depletion and resulting increased cancers; toxic dump sites; DDT saturation bringing a pelican species to near-extinction and asbestos-caused cancer visited upon trusting laborers. It is critical that we learn two important lessons from these bits of history: none of the above was an obvious result of the use of the substance, and none of the above was evident until very long after the use.

I am no expert on the Medfly or on pesticides. However, I am not comforted by the exhortations not to worry. We (even our “experts”) know too little to rest assured of the safety of this spraying of poison over our communities while we, our children, neighbors and pets are at risk.

There must be more prudent ways to confront this agriculture-threatening infestation than to put ourselves at risk.

MICHAEL R. GARDNER

Fullerton