Comment on Malathion Spraying in New York City

[Joseph R Parrish Jr <JoeParrish@compuserve.com>]

<> in Tampa.  Two years ago our 
city was subjected to aerial spray of malathion to fight a medfly outbreak.
 
We learned a lot about EPA's section 18 exemption to FIFRA, particularly
the 
observations you seem to be getting to: that it appears to be no one at the

Agency's responsibility to monitor compliance with or violations to the 
exemption.

Here's something else we encountered: If stored improperly malathion can 
break down to malaoxin, a far more dangerous chemical.  The label requires 
that malathion be stored at temperatures not to exceed seventy degrees (I
may 
be off a degree or two), but DACS stored great barrels of the stuff on the 
runway at an airfield -- for weeks.  Obviously tempareratures on a runway
in 
Florida in the summer exceed that seventy degree limit almost constantly.

EPA found malaoxin in our city's treated drinking water that summer.