Feds to sound skeeter-spray alarm

By Vincent Morris in Washington and Frankie Edozien in N.Y.
Copyright 2000 New York Post
May 10, 2000

Federal officials are expected to declare malathion, the mosquito-killing chemical sprayed across the city in last summer's battle against the deadly West Nile virus, carcinogenic and much more dangerous than thought, two Queens politicians said yesterday.

Rep. Gary Ackerman told The Post he expected the Environmental Protection Agency to announce tomorrow that malathion is not as harmless as Mayor Giuliani and others insisted during last year's outbreak.

He said he anticipates malathion will be upgraded to a low-level human carcinogen, making it unlikely to be used again for aerial spraying. The city has already made plans to substitute three safer chemicals.

All indications are that "the EPA has determined that malathion is mildly carcinogenic. We were told to expect it," said Ackerman, a Democrat who is planning to attend a closed-door briefing tomorrow.

"They [the city] kept assuring us it was safe. The city downplayed it. We have no way of knowing how many people got sick because of malathion," he said.

Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens), who also will attend the meeting, added: "If the announcement is what we expect, then the mayor was wrong. This is not safe."

EPA officials declined comment on their evaluation of malathion or on previous assurances that the spray was safe, although spokeswoman Ellen Kramer did confirm they would brief lawmakers.

Sandra Mullin, associate commissioner for the city Board of Health, declined to comment until the city receives formal notification from the EPA.

Critics have warned for years that malathion is a neuro-toxic chemical that can attack the central nervous system, causing respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms.

While most authorities have insisted the chemical is safe, spraying in Tampa, Fla., left 200 people hospitalized with dizziness, nausea and flu-like symptoms.

The chemical is used to kill the infected mosquitoes, which get the virus from birds and then transfer it to humans. The virus in humans can lead to deadly encephalitis. Last year's outbreak killed seven people and sickened 62.

To combat the virus - which has been found in 15 different states - health officials in New York last summer OK'd using trucks and helicopters to spray malathion.

This year, the substitute chemicals will be sprayed from trucks.

The city also has plans to release mosquito-eating fish into sewage-treatment plants and has focused more resources on eliminating stagnant pools of water, where mosquitoes breed.

But efforts to secure $5 million from the federal government to fight the bug have so far stalled. Lawmakers plan on asking for $15 million next year.