Why Ban Cosmetic Pesticides?
Pesticide exposure has been linked to several serious illnesses, with children at greater risk because they are smaller and their bodies are still developing. Pesticide exposure negatively impacts wildlife, aquatic species, water quality and our principal pollinators, honeybees.
Increasingly, British Columbians don’t believe these risks are worth taking for non-essential, “cosmetic” purposes, as reflected in public opinion polls and dozens of B.C. municipal bylaws. Provincial legislation to phase out the sale and use of non-essential chemical pesticides would mean healthier communities, healthier families and a healthier environment for all British Columbians.
The movement to ban the use and sale of cosmetic pesticides has been growing for more than 30 years across Canada. Hudson, Quebec passed the first municipal bylaw in 1997 – there are now over 170 cosmetic pesticide bylaws across Canada, including 38 bylaws in B.C. The provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia have all enacted strong provincial legislation and B.C. has made significant progress towards its own provincial legislation.
In the August 2009 Throne Speech, the Campbell government announced a public consultation period on “the new and statutory protections to further safeguard the environment from cosmetic chemical pesticides”. During this consultation, between December 2009 and February 2010, more than 8,000 comments were received, approximately 88% in support of cosmetic pesticide legislation.
In May 2011, Premier Christy Clark announced her support for just such a ban: “I’ve supported this for years now. We are going to do it,” she said. Clark highlighted her desire to work together with the NDP and the public to create this legislation. The NDP introduced Private Members Bill M2303, the Pesticide and Carcinogen Control Act two days after this announcement.
A bi-partisan Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides has been formed to make recommendations on the elimination of the unnecessary use of pesticides in B.C. They are hearing from a variety of experts and interests, including those that want to keep spreading toxic chemicals on our lawns and in our parks. The Committee also wants to hear from the public on this issue, and we want to make sure they get a clear message back that British Columbians want a strong law that protects our families, pets and environment from the unnecessary use of chemical pesticides.
The public comment period is open until December 16, 2011, and there are several ways to have your voice heard.
Organizing for Change is a project of some of B.C.'s leading environmental groups, including Sierra Club BC. Together, we are developing more robust, focused and effective approaches to advancing environmental policy initiatives in British Columbia.
Read the B.C. Pesticide Ban statement, which Sierra Club BC supports.
