TONIGHT’S MEDFLY SPRAYING

About 9 p.m., state helicopters will begin spraying hundreds of gallons of a malathion-bait mixture over 36 square miles in nine North County cities, including virtually all of Garden Grove, half of Westminster and parts of Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana. Two Mediterranean fruit flies have been found in the region.

Local residents concerned about the safety of the spraying are planning a 4:30 p.m. protest today at Garden Grove and Harbor boulevards in Garden Grove.

The next spraying for the area is scheduled Feb. 15. No further dates have been set, but state officials say they may spray the area up to a dozen times by summer, beginning every three weeks.

State guidelines require door-to-door notification of malathion spraying in English and Spanish, but do not provide for other languages. Community leaders say that as a result, many Vietnamese residents in Garden Grove and Westminster are ill-informed about tonight’s spraying. The Times has translated into Vietnamese the details of the spraying and what to do before, during and afterward. Los Angeles Times

BEFORE AND DURING THE SPRAYING:

Stay indoors if possible. Officials say the amount of pesticide used in the spray is small enough that contact with it will not cause any long-term health effects. It can be an irritant to the eyes, but no other short-term effect is likely. The semisweet mixture of malathion and corn syrup is released in droplets too large to inhale. Its toxicity is equivalent to that of laundry detergent, officials say.

Cover cars parked outside. The mixture may cause blemishes or discoloration to the finish or paint of some cars.

Keep dogs, cats, or other pets in garages or under cover.

Shallow back-yard fish ponds should be covered. Officials say pool owners should not worry because the pesticide will not affect the water quality in a standard size pool.

ABOUT THE SPRAYING:

The droplets to be sprayed are from a mixture that is about three-quarters protein-corn syrup bait, to lure the fruit flies, and one-quarter malathion, the pesticide being used to kill them. About 12 ounces per square mile were scheduled to be applied over the target area.

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered new tests of malathion, to try to resolve questions about its effect on human health, state officials assert that it is “one of the safest insecticides in use today.” State officials say that the low doses used in aerial spraying pose no health threat to anyone, including pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly and the chronically ill. They also say that no one should have any reservations about going outside after the spraying is completed. Animals with the exception of fish, which are considered very susceptible should not be affected either, officials say.

AFTER THE SPRAYING:

Friday morning, all patio furniture, play equipment, tools and household items left outdoors during the spraying should be hosed down. If a car has been sprayed, it should be washed with soap and water.

Source: State and Orange County agriculture officials . Translation by Times staff member Thuha Tran

(Note: Vietnamese text not included)