4 Cities Formally Oppose Aerial Medfly Spraying

Opposition to aerial spraying of malathion continued to grow in the San Gabriel Valley this week as public officials in Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Marino and Duarte voted to voice objections.

In Monterey Park, the City Council on Monday unanimously passed a resolution asking for a halt to the spraying that has targeted much of the valley and nearby areas in an effort to eradicate the Mediterranean fruit fly.

Last November the City Council sent a letter to state and county agriculture officials, expressing concerns about the health effects of human exposure to malathion.

“My main frustration is the medical side of (the spraying),” Monterey Park Mayor Pat Reichenberger said Wednesday. “People say, ‘Malathion is killing our ladybugs and bees,’ which is a valid concern for the ecology. But I’m more concerned about the health, safety and welfare of people.”

Reichenberger, who has debated the issue twice on NBC’s “Today Show,” has been active in encouraging other public officials to oppose aerial spraying. Monterey Park’s resolution seeks a ban until medical tests can show that malathion does not harm people. State and county officials have said the chemical is greatly diluted when it is sprayed and poses no health threat.

The Monterey Park resolution suggests as alternatives ground spraying and the release of large numbers of sterile Medflies to help eliminate the growth of the pest population.

“I’m very pleased with the number of cities that are joining us,” Reichenberger said, noting that Monterey Park City Hall this week has received 10 requests for copies of the city’s letter and resolution on the issue.

In Pasadena on Tuesday night, after a group of about 15 residents complained about the airborne spraying, the Board of Directors unanimously agreed to ask agriculture officials to halt it over Pasadena until a public hearing could be held Feb. 8.

One Pasadena resident, Therese Brummel, was upset that the spraying last week continued until 6:15 a.m. She said, “I had to walk out the door at 6:25, and it was awful. The smell was like putting your head in a Clorox (bleach) bottle.”

Her family, she said, developed sore throats after the spraying.

Ricardo Delgado, another resident who addressed the board, said state and county officials are not telling the truth about malathion, which he considers a cancer-causing chemical.

Similar concerns were raised Tuesday in San Marino. The school board unanimously passed an emergency resolution that called for a halt to spraying and advocated the use of alternatives in combating the Medfly.

“The community here is very, very concerned, especially since the long-term effects of spraying are not known,” said Jack Rose, assistant superintendent for instruction.

San Marino, like other school districts, washes playground equipment and drinking fountains after the sprayings, Rose said.

The San Marino board will send notice of its resolution to the San Marino City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, he said.

Duarte’s City Council also unanimously voted Tuesday night to protest the spraying. “The notification process has been totally inadequate,” said Mayor John Fasana. “First we hear that spraying is going to happen next month. The next thing we know, they’re spraying the next day.”

Two weeks ago, Pomona Mayor Donna Smith wrote a letter to state and county officials expressing her concerns. Next Monday, she said, she plans to present to the council a resolution similar to Monterey Park’s. “Even though we’re not a recipient of the spraying,” she said, “I thought it was important to express our support” for those cities fighting the aerial spraying.

State Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) announced Tuesday that he would introduce legislation to stop the aerial spraying. Torres’ district encompasses a portion of the western San Gabriel Valley.

Times Staff Writers Vicki Torres and Elena Farrington contributed to this story.