Pesticides in Canada
Encyclopedia
The use of pesticide
s in Canada
is regulated by Health Canada
via the Pest Control Products Act to provide effective management of pest infestations when other methods of pest control are not succeeding for the health of the community. Pesticide use is occasionally contentious.
Over 250 products will be banned for sale and more than 95 pesticide ingredients will be banned for cosmetic uses. The Ontario legislation would also echo Massachusetts law requiring pesticide manufacturers to reduce the toxins they use in production. On June 18, 2009, the Province of New Brunswick implement a province-wide lawn pesticide ban on over 200 pesticides. The Province of Prince Edward Island has also announced that it will pass legislation that bans cosmetic pesticides, starting 2010.
on Prince Edward Island , nine fish kill
s happened in one year: every fish, snake, and snail was killed in a river called Sutherland's Hole near potato farms from which herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides ran off after heavy rains.
A study showed that exposing tadpole
s to endosulfan
, an organochloride
pesticide at levels that are likely to be found in habitats near fields sprayed with the chemical kills the tadpoles and causes behavioral and growth abnormalities.
,a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental issues especially as they relate to human health, have campaigned on the hazards of lawn pesticides.
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is regulated by Health Canada
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
via the Pest Control Products Act to provide effective management of pest infestations when other methods of pest control are not succeeding for the health of the community. Pesticide use is occasionally contentious.
Regulation
In Canada, 154 municipalities and the entire provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick have now placed restrictions on the cosmetic use of synthetic lawn pesticides as a result of health and environmental concerns. The Ontario provincial government promised on September 24, 2007 to also implement a province-wide ban on the cosmetic use of lawn pesticides, for protecting the public. Medical and environmental groups support such a ban. On April 22, 2008, the Provincial Government of Ontario announced that it will pass legislation that will prohibit, province-wide, the cosmetic use and sale of lawn and garden pesticides. The Ontario province-wide pesticide ban on lawn pesticides will come into force on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.Over 250 products will be banned for sale and more than 95 pesticide ingredients will be banned for cosmetic uses. The Ontario legislation would also echo Massachusetts law requiring pesticide manufacturers to reduce the toxins they use in production. On June 18, 2009, the Province of New Brunswick implement a province-wide lawn pesticide ban on over 200 pesticides. The Province of Prince Edward Island has also announced that it will pass legislation that bans cosmetic pesticides, starting 2010.
Effects on biota
For example, in MontagueMontague, Prince Edward Island
Montague is a Canadian town and the largest population centre in Kings County, Prince Edward Island.The town straddles the Montague River which is the dividing line between the townships of Lot 52 and Lot 59. The town functions as a regional service centre for a rural population of 20,000...
on Prince Edward Island , nine fish kill
Fish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
s happened in one year: every fish, snake, and snail was killed in a river called Sutherland's Hole near potato farms from which herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides ran off after heavy rains.
A study showed that exposing tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s to endosulfan
Endosulfan
Endosulfan is an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide that is being phased out globally. Endosulfan became a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation, and role as an endocrine disruptor...
, an organochloride
Organochloride
An organochloride, organochlorine, chlorocarbon, chlorinated hydrocarbon, or chlorinated solvent is an organic compound containing at least one covalently bonded chlorine atom. Their wide structural variety and divergent chemical properties lead to a broad range of applications...
pesticide at levels that are likely to be found in habitats near fields sprayed with the chemical kills the tadpoles and causes behavioral and growth abnormalities.
Opinion
On April 3, 2008, the Canadian Cancer Society released opinion poll results conducted by Ipsos Reid, which established that a clear majority of residents in the provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan want province-wide cosmetic lawn pesticide bans, and that the majority of respondents believe that cosmetic pesticides are a threat to their health.Lobbying
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the EnvironmentCanadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment is a Canadian-based non-profit organization dedicated to environmental issues, especially as they relate to human health. The group was founded in 1994, and is composed of over 4,700 medical doctors and concerned citizens from across Canada...
,a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental issues especially as they relate to human health, have campaigned on the hazards of lawn pesticides.
External links
- Health Canada - Consumer Product Safety: Pesticides and Pest Management