Cutting Pesticide use possible
Subject: Pesticides cut possible - watchdog
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 12:38:43 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulationcc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read an article dated: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 and entitled: Pesticides cut possible - watchdog - But all players must get on board, task force is told, by MICHELLE LALONDE - Montreal Gazette.
Unnecessary pesticide use can be phased out in cities across Quebec as early as two years from now if all the players get on board, the Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides told a task force on the issue yesterday.
Horticultural industry leaders, however, estimate it could take as long as 10 years to implement a system where most pesticides are outlawed. "We believe these products could be off the shelves (of hardware stores) in five to 10 years if everything works the way it should," said Rene Simoneau, of the Association des Services en Horticulture Ornementale du Quebec.
Public hearings began in Montreal yesterday by the task force, commissioned by Quebec's Environment Department to get public input on its plan to establish a pesticides management code. The code's purpose is to reduce pesticide use across the province and it will set out restrictions on their application, rules for safe storage and handling, and rules for informing the public.
Well being of their citizens
In the past decade about three dozen Quebec municipalities have adopted bylaws restricting the use of pesticides. In June 2001 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled, in upholding the town of Hudson's pesticide ban, that municipalities do have the power to adopt bylaws to protect the health and well-being of their citizens.
On Montreal Island, several former suburbs such as Westmount and Beaconsfield had pesticide bylaws on their books when they were merged with Montreal on Jan. 1. Unless and until the new city of Montreal brings in a pesticide bylaw, these regulations continue to apply on the territories of the former suburbs.
During his election campaign, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay promised to ban the "aesthetic" use of pesticides - to achieve a dandelion-free lawn, for example - within the territory of the new megacity.
Yesterday, Edith Smeesters, president of the Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, told the task force that a massive public awareness campaign is needed to inform the public of the dangers of pesticides and to change attitudes about lawn and garden care.
Buffer zone around public areas
She called on the province to bring in legislation immediately to phase out the use of pesticides over the next three years, maximum.
"We are capable of eliminating the use of pesticides in common use between now and the end of 2003 or 2004, so that only low-impact pesticides would be permitted after that time and then only as a last resort," she said.
Smeesters said the province should immediately ban use of synthetic pesticides around public buildings.
She also called for immediate legislation to forbid the use of pesticides in a 100-metre buffer zone around public areas, especially those frequented by children, pregnant women and others who are particularly sensitive to toxic chemicals.
Buffer zones should also be enforced around the residence of people who present a doctor's certificate to their municipality stating that they are hypersensitive to pesticides. Cities would then be responsible for preventing landscapers from using pesticides within the buffer zone.
- Michelle Lalonde can be reached by E-mail at mlalonde@thegazette.southam.ca.
© Copyright 2002 Montreal Gazette
Source url: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/archives/story.asp?id=8D12B3DF-47A1-46E2-854C-DF1F190A609B
Well Mr. Helliker, what about the well being of our citizens? Please protect the people and not the POISON "industry" profits! More and more people want to be free from your "registered" POISONS!
Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten
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