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RESOLUTION NO 6110
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
HUNTINGTON BEACH URGING RE-EVALUATION AND
REVISION OF THE ALTERNATIVES TO COMBATTING
MEDFLY INFESTATION PRIOR TO CONDUCTING
ANOTHER AERIAL SPRAYING
WHEREAS, there continues to be serious concern expressed by
the medical and scientific communities about the long term effects on
humans and the environment resulting from continued malathion
spraying to combat the medfly; and,
Spraying thus far has not been successful in eliminating the
spread of the medfly; and,
No evaluation has been clone on the quality of the sterile
medflies previously released; and,
The new shipments of sterile medflys from both Mexico and
Hawaii to the Southern California area are imminent; and,
It is projected that adequate supplies of sterile medflys
should be available within the next few months; and,
We have not exhausted less drastic: measures such as ground
application and preventive education.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington
Beach hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1. The California Department of Food and Agriculture
is hereby urged to re-evaluate and revise the alternatives to
combatting medfly infestation prior to conducting another aerial
spraying.
SECTION 2 . The California Department of Food and Agriculture
is hereby urged to re-examine the distribution of sterile flies in
those areas reporting the presence of the medfly.
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SECTION 3 . The California Department of Food and Agriculture
is hereby urged to consider the creation of a "medfly curtain" along
the pass separating our neighborhood and communities from the
farmlands of North and Central California.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach on the 22nd day of January 1990 .
Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Clerk /��"� `City Attorneyy
REVIEWED AND APPROVED: INITIATED AND APPROVED:
City Administrator Director of Community
Development
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6110
A COMMENTARY ON MALATHION SPRAYING
By Peter Green, Ph.D
Malathion is in the air. Aerial spraying is expected to increase in frequency
over larger areas of Orange County this spring and summer. As a college Biology
instructor and the Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Huntington Beach (a portion of which is
targeted for spraying the week of January 22), I would like to comment:
WHAT IS MALATHION?
Malathion is an organophosphate, one of a group of chemicals that functions by
blocking nerve impulses—a nerve gas. Rachel Carson, in 1962, pointed out that it is
considered a less toxic compound because it can be detoxified by a liver enzyme.
However, each exposure to malathion reduces the body's ability to detoxify it, as reported
by James Warf in 1984. The U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (1969)
warned that "skin penetration by organophosphates may be substantial. In view of the
toxic potential of these compounds, protection of workers exposed to them assumes the
utmost importance."
DOES MALATHION CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS?
When malathion was injected into the yolk sac of fertile bird eggs prior to
incubation, as a test of toxicity, there was "not only a low percentage of hatch at a low
level of the chemical tested, but there are also congenital abnormalities and other
responses that raise extremely serious questions as to the safety to the consumers of any
food contaminated with these chemicals." (Joseph McLaughlin, et al., as reported in
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 1963). There is substantial scientific research that
malathion can cause abnormal growth and structure in mammalian embryos. After the
1981-82 aerial eradication program in Santa Clara County, a short term study was begun
to investigate possible birth defects among children born to those mothers exposed to
repeated spraying of malation during their pregnancies. Unfortunately, I do not have the
results of that study.
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DOES MALATHION CAUSE CANCER?
Melvin Reuber, reviewing the scientific literature on the carcinogenicity and
toxicity of malathion (1984), reported that cancerous growths on the endocrine organs,
brain and liver, as well as ulcers, chronic renal disease and atrophy of the testes in
laboratory rats have been reported. He observes that, "in tests undertaken to date, it has
been demonstrated that virtually every chemical which has been found to be carcinogenic
in humans is also carcinogenic in one or more mammalian test animals."
DOES MALATHION AFFECT OTHER LIVING ORGANISMS?
After the 1981-82 Santa Clara spraying, referred to above, gardens in the area
sprayed with malathion had more white flies, aphids, and mites, than did unsprayed
gardens. Steve Dreistat and Donald Dahlsten, in Environment (1986), observed that,
"Malathion-bait sprays adversely affect pollinators such as honey bees." and, "Malathion is
highly toxic to aquatic organisms...approximately 2000 mosquito fish (gambusia) in Mission
Creek were killed." It should be noted in passing that the Orange County Vector Control
Districts stocks flood control channels with these fish to control mosquitos.
IS MALATHION HARMLESS AT THE CONCENTRATION USED IN SPRAYING?
Dr. Marc Lappe', the principal author of a report entitled "Assessment of
Health Risks from the Proposed Aerial Application of Malathion in Santa Clara County"
prepared by the California Department of Health Services (1980), refused to sign the final
version, charging that it misrepresented his findings. He stated, "various studies have
suggested several potential adverse chronic health effects from exposure to malathion.
These risks include teratogenicity, induction of genetic changes in germ cells, and perhaps
long term effects on the nervous system. To my knowledge, none of this information has
been made available to the public...I have never reached a decision as to what a safe
exposure level is. For these same reasons, the World Health Organization declined to set
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Pill
a 'safe' limit for malathion in occupation settings. There have been omissions in the
testing of this pesticide and the United States Environmental Protection Agency,
recognizing that fact, has ordered further studies concerning the long term chronic effect
of malathion exposure."
ARE THERE OTHER MEANS BY WHICH THE MEDFLY CAN BE CONTROLLED?
There are about one million insect species, and only about 100 cause 90% of the
damage to food crops. The ideal control would affect only the target insect species, and a
number of such controls are available. Sterile male fruitflies are being released, and the
number should increase. Chemical sex attractants are now available commercially for 30
major insect pests, including Japanese Beetles. Such species specific chemical
attractants, or pheromones, should be developed for the medfly. Other biological controls
could include the introduction of predators, pathogens, parasites, or viruses that affect
the medfly. Basic research in entomology should be initiated or accelerated by the
California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Finally, a program of education that emphasizes personal responsibility for limiting the
spread of the medfly should be initiated immediately. Local elected officials, the Orange
County Agriculture Department, and the State Department of Food and Agriculture must
cooperate with citizens of Orange County in this effort.
6110
Res. No. 6110
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ORANGE ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH ) '
I, CONNIE BROCKWAY, the duly elected, qualified City
Clerk of the City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of said City, do hereby certify that the whole number of
members of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach is seven;
that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the affirmative
vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council
at a regular adjourned meeting thereof held on the 22nd day
of January 19 90 -, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers
MacAllister, Winchell , Green, Mays, Bannister, Silva, Erskine
NOES: Councilmembers:
None
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
None
City Clerk and ex-offitAft er
of the.City Council of the City
of Huntington Beach, California