Weeds out of control in pesticide-free towns
Dear Editor:
The infestations of weeds and bugs is getting unmanageable and starting to detract from the healthy community that pesticide-free communities thought they were achieving.
The frivolous and unenforceable municipal pesticide bylaws promoted by the Canadian Cancer Society, Pesticide Free BC, Wildsight, Suzuki and others are starting to wear thin on homeowners and city staff.
The consistent themes employed by these groups — “better safe than sorry,” and “we are the trusted authority”— are inferences that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency has fallen asleep at the wheel and that their extensive and comprehensive reviews of pesticides have no credibility.
These same organizations also continue to make reference to the “many safer and better alternatives” that exist to control weeds and bugs, so why bother with the conventional “toxic” substances. These environmentalists and NGOs have never provided specific lists of lawn care products they say are harmful and continually lump all pesticides into the same “toxic” category.
A report just recently released by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, listing Canadian sales of pesticides in 2008, provides some surprising statistics. Of all pesticides sold in Canada, more than 60 per cent are for agriculture while less than 2 per cent are for the domestic market, which includes the lawn care products.
The top ten domestic pesticides are dominated by swimming pools and spa products. Yes that’s right: chlorine and bromine are pesticides and are regulated and reviewed for use the same way that 2,4-D is.
So if these environmentalists and NGOs feel the Pest Management Regulatory Agency got it wrong on pesticide reviews, why are they not raising the alarm on the reviews of pesticides used in your local pool? The truth is that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency is known for the most stringent pesticide reviews in the world, and there is no need to worry about exposure to pesticides on lawns or in pools when the directions for use are followed.
The BC Special Committee on Pesticides chaired by MLA Bennett listened to the experts and made the informed decision that science does not support the banning of lawn care products. It’s time that the Canadian Cancer Society Pesticide Free BC, Wildsight, Suzuki and municipal councillors get on with issues that really matter, like the economy, lack of jobs and rising taxes.
Paul Visentin, Cranbrook
Paul Visentin makes some interesting points regarding our fear of big words ( herbicides and pesticides ).
One of the great fears propagated by those against the use of these two big words is that it causes, or could cause, or might cause, cancer. If you ingest or your dog or your cat ingests copious quantities of big words and herbs.
So what are herbiscides, they are chemicals that are focused on being ingested by . . . . herbs, as in plants. Not once have I ever seen a herb ingest enough herbicide to affect a child or pussy cat or puppy. A dog or cat or child cannot eat enough herbs laced with a herbicide to be adversly affected other than having a sore stomach, I would think. Mind you, if some one, as Paul Visentin implies where to ingest a couple of litres of herbicide directly or breath in the fumes of same, over a number of years, some one some time might or might not, maybe or maybe not, have an adverse reaction to a herbicide that is focused on a herb.
Or, in the alternative, the applicators can apply the product according to code, post the area according to code, and the public could adhere to the postings according to code, and not eat two bushels of grass or herbs and not breath in or drink the herbicide directly and loe and behold, we will have pristine lawns and gardens again.
But that implies maybe or maybe nots, could be or could be nots, probably or probably nots for all of our for get me nots.
I’m currently visiting family in Boise ID, where they have no such restrictions. You can walk into any store here and load up the truck with chemicals. My son and his young family live next to a wild life reserve watercanal, and I’ve lost count of the number of the varied number of birds that live right outside his door. It is simply unbelieveable. This city is spotless too. This area is not called the “Treasure Valley” or the “City of Trees” because it is wasted with lawns and parks full of dandelions and other weeds. The weather in this Valley is quite similar to the Columbia Valley, but the landscape is remarkably different. According to my son they chose to live here because of the beauty, and safe welcoming environment to raise kids in. I checked and there appears to be no more evidence of Cancers in Boise than jurisdictions who have banned those awful controversial “cides”.