Malathion Spraying

* The State Department of Agriculture’s decision to blanket the city of Corona with malathion eight to 10 times shows a callous disregard for public safety (Jan. 14).

This is a procedure that has proven to be both ineffective in eliminating the Medfly and extremely dangerous to all living things.

Speak to people in areas where the spraying has been done and you will find that the poison kills indiscriminately. Don’t count on hearing any crickets chirp in the city after the applications.

The spraying is harmful to anyone and anything that happens to be outdoors or breathing air from (where else?) the outdoors or eating anything that happens to be exposed to the spray. Family pets, livestock and even fish in fish ponds or streams are affected and often killed by the spraying. Oh yeah, and for those out there that don’t have a garage, the spray eats the paint off your car.

Often the pilots doing the spraying are forced to make a field judgment on whether the wind conditions might blow the spray into other areas. The city of Norco, with its cattle and agriculture, could also be severely damaged.

DOUG FREDERICKSEN

Corona

* The statement issued by the Malathion Public Health Effects Advisory Committee that “concerns about eye disease were found to be unwarranted, and pesticide poisoning and other serious effects did not occur” is, quite simply, incorrect. Documented cases of pesticide poisoning did occur--I am one of them, as I have stated many times, and I am aware of dozens of other seriously affected citizens. As for eye damage, we all know the case of a young boy blinded as a result of the 1989-90 spraying, and I, and many others, are now forced to wear glasses at all times, when we never had to before our exposure.

It seems that the governor’s office and the state health department officials feel that if they repeat a falsehood often enough it will make it true. It doesn’t.

LORA SIGLER

Sherman Oaks