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• • <br />CITY OF LA PORTE <br />INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Louis Rigby, Purchasing Manager <br />FROM: Orville Burgess, Street Superintendent <br />DATE: June 20, 1990 <br />SUBJECT: New Mosquito Adulticide <br />With the imminent and impending announcement from the <br />Environmental Protection Agency outlawing the use of Malathion <br />for mosquito control in Texas, we would be well advised to <br />implement alternative plans. Bearing this in mind, the Street <br />Division recently completed a test of a new adulticide on the <br />market. The product is called "Scourge". Scourge has many <br />advantages over malathion ; higher toxicity to mosquitoes, lower <br />application rates, and rapid degradation in the environment. <br />Also, scourge is non - toxic to fish, wildlife, and honey bees. <br />Most importantly, it does not damage car paints or corrode the <br />spray equipment. All these factors combined make scourge very <br />attractive and cheaper than malathion. In the test I mentioned <br />we conducted, we were able to reduce the adult mosquito <br />population by over 66~ after one complete spraying cycle. We <br />have never been close to this success ratio before by using <br />malathion alone. <br />For the reasons outlined above, I would like to go out for <br />competitive bids on scourge. It should be understood that this <br />will replace malathion entirely, not be in addition to it. For <br />informational purposes, the only local company I am aware of that <br />handles scourge is B & G Chemical & Equipment Co. of Houston, <br />Texas. The correct trade name for bid purposes is Scourge 18~ + <br />54~ Also, we would need to bid out a suitable mineral oil or <br />petroleum derived oil for dilution with scourge. We recommend <br />Orchex 796 which is supplied by B & G, also. We anticipate 50 to <br />75 gallons of scourge and 700 to 900 gallons of Orchex 796 as a <br />diluent will be needed annually to equal our malathion usage for <br />one year. It is hoped we can begin the formal bid process <br />immediately to expedite our operations. If you need further <br />information, please advise. <br />/ob <br />cc: Steve Gillett, Director of Public Works <br />