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Malathion

Malathion Benefits Compared to WhatRisks?

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Date:

Mosquitoes are an aggravating pest during the summertime that many people would be willing to take extreme measures to escape their persistence and pain.After reading the Risk Assessment of this pesticide and evaluatingMalathion I have come to the conclusion that the benefits outweigh the risks for spraying the pesticide Malathion. Spraying Malathion is in the best interest for the city of Genericville and the city should proceed. The risk associated with spraying was 1,479 reported cases of West Nile Virus in 2006 and out of the 1,479 cases 177 were fatal. This sounds like a damning statistic until it is compared to the benefits of spraying. The spraying of the Malathion reduces the mosquito population by 90% therefore leaving a 20% chance of being infected with the WNV. Because our community is very dependent upon our summer tourism I can see our tourism numbers falter if our guest where instructed to stay indoors to avoid the mosquito’s rather than enjoying their vacation.

Genericivlle has a river that runs through the middle along with the riverbanks and wetlands. These water reservoirs supply and guard the city from flooding. Not only do these wetlands serve as protection. Theyalso provide nutrients for fish and birds that inhabit the area. While providing the fish with nutrients and other benefits the wetlands counter these benefits with mosquito infestations. These mosquito breading grounds spread diseases like the West Nile Virus. I have reviewed the city and the problem, the pesticide solution and its proponents, and the opposition to the pesticide application is that the financing for the plan will come directly from a wealthy city resident. However, the benefit of 90% of the mosquito population could be reduced. I would be willing to take a slight risk to avoid the cumbersome and virus spreading pests. This risk reduction of West Nile Virus by 90%, pesticide materials reduce by themselves to non-hazardous waste, and more tourists would frequent the city. The cons are long-term risks to the environment are not known, implementation of educational programs and precautions, there would be a week of avoiding the areas exposed to the pesticide. During this week there would stand the chance that the ignorant would not follow safety precautions because of lack of knowledge. There could be illnesses related to the spray that result in death. There is a chance of killing the natural predators of mosquitoes as well. This could result in damage to the ecosystem which in turn could result in the increase of the West Nile Virus. I formed a risk assessment outline to assist my decision. This outline was the basis for my vote and support of spraying this pesticide.

Hazard Identification

A few opponents of spraying Malathion argue that the use of pesticides could kill the natural predators of mosquitoes. As a consequence this would ultimately increase the spread of WNV as well as damage the brittle ecosystem. This could be devastating to tourism which is our lifeline. Opponents also argue the life long hazards of the pesticide but cannot give any hazard as an example.(The hazards to humans and long-termeffects are still unknown.)

Dose-response

“Opponents estimate that there could be as many as 90 cases of Malathion-related illnesses from the proposed application program with four that may be fatal. Opponents used information from a Florida study referenced in the same study used by proponents” (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2005, Section 3). This is only an estimate and there has been no sound evidence of this assumption.

Exposure

There is a concern about the poor and uneducated members of society, not knowingly exposing their selves to the harmful affects of the pesticide. Here again there are no harmful effects that have been proven and linked to the pesticide. Proponents of Malathion state that,

“Exposure to Malathion could be completely controlled by educational programs and precautions. Part of the proposal includes extensive precautions and an awareness campaign to avoid exposure during Malathion applications and to prevent contact with residues for a week after applications.” This statement is null and void to the ignorant.

Risk Characterization

“According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2007), there were 4,269 WNV cases in the U.S. in 2006 and 177 were fatalities. Based on experience, recent testing of infected birds and an enlarged mosquito breeding area due to heavy rainfall, there are projections that there could be 50 cases of WNV in Genericville this year with two fatalities. Both the rich and poor communities of Genericville equally share this risk.” The risk characterization does not effect my decision and is neutral.

After evaluating all the information about the pesticide Malathion and the risks associated with theuse, I have decided to vote for the proposal to spray Malathion here in Genericville. The spraying of the pesticide would mean that the estimated number of WNV cases would drop from 50 to five, with less than a 20% chance of a fatality in each of the five cases. With these factors and our cities dependence on tourism, I have decided that the best option is to spray the pesticide. If there were a group of people exposed to mosquito’s and were given the option to get rid of the cumbersome pests in exchange for a slight chance that is not proven that spraying a pesticide may be harmful, I truly think those people would opt for the spray. We all do it everyday when we spray pesticide with deet in the ingredients. Do the benefits outweigh the risks in one’sopinion? They do in my opinion; therefore I will be voting for the spraying of Malathion in Genicerville. As long as there is no proven high risk aftermath of the spraying then by all means eliminate the spread of disease and aggravation. There are too many uncertainties about the risks of its use. On the other hand the benefits are instant.

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2005). Toxicologic information about insecticides used for eradicating mosquitoes. Malathion (CAS Number 121-75-5). Retrieved June 9, 2009, from Malathion.html.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). 2006 West Nile Virus activity in the United States. West Nile Virus Statistics, Surveillance, and Control. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from