Corner Brook -
Many municipalities have voluntary bans on the use of cosmetic pesticides, but a coalition of organizations is now pressing the provincial government to make mandatory prohibition the law of the land.
Dr. Ian Simpson has been advocating the stance for years and is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Coalition on Pesticides. While some municipalities, including Corner Brook, request citizens use more natural ways to keep their lawns and gardens free of bothersome insects and weeds, there are still lots of people who opt for chemical controls.
There are parameters in terms of wind and humidity levels which are supposed to be adhered to when spraying pesticides, but Simpson doesn't believe those standards are always followed accurately.
"I would say about 80 or 85 per cent of what's sprayed ends up going on other people's property or in the water supply," he said.
Scientists have linked pesticide exposure to serious negative health effects, including cancer, reproductive problems and neurological diseases.
There are more than 6,000 cases of pesticide poisonings reported to poison control centres in Canada each year. Children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, according to the coalition, while pesticides can cause immediate physical reactions for people living with lung disease such as asthma.
The chemical industry would argue there is no hard evidence to support a ban, but Simpson said such proof can only be obtained by unethically exposing a group of people to chemicals for an extended period of time to see how they are affected.
"There are significant long-term effects of steady, constant exposure, so why not cut it down significantly where we can?" he asked.
"If there are concerns about the rising cancer rate, then this is one area where we can do something about it."
Municipalities have told the coalition they do not have the legislative authority to outright ban the use of cosmetic pesticides. There are already province-wide bans in Quebec and Ontario and it looks as though similar laws will soon be in place in British Columbia and New Brunswick.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Coalition on Pesticides has contacted the province's politicians.
The ministers responsible for health and the environment, according to Simpson, have agreed to meet with the coalition, though no time has been set, while members of the Opposition have agreed to meet some time in the next week or so.
NDP leader Lorraine Michael has already taken a public stand on the need for a ban.
Like the fight to have stricter controls over tobacco products, Simpson anticipates the effort to institute a ban on pesticides will be a drawn-out battle.
"It's a very powerful industry," he said. "The chemical industry is closely linked to the petroleum industry because a lot of these chemicals are derivatives from oil."
In the meantime, it is left to individuals to decide whether or not they will use cosmetic pesticides. The more people opt not to and become more concerned about the issue, said Simpson, the better chance government will listen to them.
"There are individuals and groups who have been working on this issue over many years, but now we have a real coming together of different voices," said Simpson. "We can all contribute to this momentum and bring about positive change."
