| The City of Edmonton Community and Public Services Committee met this past Wednesday, June 26 to discuss the recently released updated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy. The Committee accepted the policy as is and has punted it forward to the entire City Council for discussion, possible amendments and possible acceptance on Tuesday July 2nd or Wednesday, July 3rd. We’ve asked the City Clerk to make this a time specific issue, ideally 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, July 3rd. Council will decide this fairly early on Tuesday morning, July 2nd. We would like to make it relatively easy for our allies can speak to this issue and urge City Council to consider a couple of key amendments: 1. That there be a “red, yellow, green” list of pesticides as used in othe jurisdictions such as Ontario (See: https://www.ontario.ca/page/pesticides-home-lawns-and-gardens) 2. That there be a strong, credible and influential medical expert voice (or, ideally voices) on the advisory panel being called for by the new IPM Policy. 2a. And that this improved advisory panel meet as often as necessary to ensure that dangerous pesticides, such as chlorpyrifos, are never needlessly used again in Edmonton. Our main concern remains the City’s misplaced deference to the federal regulator, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in determining whether or not a pesticide can be safely used. It appears that the new IPM policy will not ensure that the highly questionable and haphazard use of a pesticide like chlorpyrifos will not happen again in the future. (See: https://edmontoncouncilofcanadians.ca/2019/06/26/edmontons-sordid-history-of-chlorpyrifos-use-to-control-mosquitos/) The fact is that chlorpyrifos is and was “approved for use” by the PMRA when Edmonton was the only municipality in Canada to be using this highly toxic and volatile neurotoxin to control mosquitos as recently as 2017. Our understanding is that the City of Edmonton still retains a significant stock of chlorpyrifos to be used again whenever a Pest Branch functionary decides it is necessary to do so. As long as chlorpyrifos or any other pesticide is “approved for use” by the PMRA, the City of Edmonton may use it. That’s not good enough. It is especially not good enough for Edmonton’s children who are most susceptible to deleterious effects of pesticides like chlorpyrifos and others. Chlorpyrifos is “approved for use” today in Edmonton and could be used again, despite the fact that it has never undergone a complete, mandated re-assessment since its initial approval in 1969. Since 1969, over 2000 peer reviewed studies about the toxicity of chlorpyrifos, especially to children, have been published and a number of high profile court cases have indicated that it is not safe to use this pesticide under any circumstance. A green light from the PMRA does not inspire confidence and Edmontonians deserve better. Edmontonians should not have to worry that our health is compromised simply because another dangerous pesticide has questionable approval from the PMRA and City of Edmonton Pest Control Staff and Contractors have a misplaced green light to spray it near unsuspecting citizens. The City should continue to work towards developing and practising organic turf management techniques to naturally reduce weeds. Of particular interest and relevance to Edmonton could be the development and comprehensive use of “compost tea” as a natural supplement for healthy turf management. The City might also consider naturalizing some of its extensive catalogue of grassy turf. Turf is costly to maintain without extensive and arguably unhealthy management. Every effort should also be made to monitor and protect mosquito predator populations and other bird/animal species threatened by pesticide use. Back ground information: Here’s the agenda for July 2/3: http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=2310&doctype=AGENDA Double click agenda item 6.12 “Integrated Pest Management Policy” and links to the updated policy and background documents can be seen on the right of the screen. Council may update the schedule Tuesday morning, July 2nd, just after 9:30 a.m. If you’d like to speak to this issue at City Council , please call the City Clerk at 780-496-8178 to confirm the schedule and to confirm your participation. Link to Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Pesticide Director Randall McQuaker’s brief to Edmonton IPM Review : https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/CAPE-brief-to-Edmonton-IPM-review-February-2019.pdf |
edmontoncouncilofcanadians.ca 