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4- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 7, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Pesticide debate continues at town hall By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Are pesticides toxic chemicals that cause cancer and other human illnesses? Or are they useful and highly-regulated substances that pose little risk to human health, if used properly? Those two distinct viewpoints quickly emerged Monday night, as Oakville council met to consider a bylaw that could impose an almost town-wide ban on pesticide use. The proposed bylaw would ban the use 27 Tips to Drive Up the Sale Price of Your Home Oakville-Because your home may well be your largest asset, selling it is probably one the the most important decisions you will make in your life. And once you have made that decision, you'll want to sell your home for the highest price in the shortest time possible without compromising your sanity. Before you place you home on the market, here's a way to help you to be as prepared as possible. 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To hear a brief recorded message about how to order you FREE copy of this report, call 1-800-377-9643 and enter ID #1023. Call any time, any day. advertisement Lunch & Learn Everyone Welcome! Friday Feb.16 of pesticides within the town's boundaries, except on land used for the commercial production of food, and on golf courses that employ a groundskeeper accredited in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. Pesticides would also be allowed if used in a swimming pool, inside a building, for the purposes of purifying water, or to control animals, plants or other organisms harmful to human health. During Monday night's five-hour-long meeting in front of a packed council chamber, local politicians heard from a dozen delegations with opinions on the issue. A number of them, representing health organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and Ontario College of Family Physicians, urged councillors to adopt a pesticide ban. Heather Logan is an Oakville mother and registered nurse, as well as the director of cancer control policy for the Canadian Cancer Society. She told councillors that scientific evidence has suggested a possible relationship between pesticides and certain forms of cancer, including thyroid cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. And while that link hasn't been firmly or irrefutably established, she believes communities should still act to protect its citizens from possible harm. "I think we have the responsibility to protect people while we're waiting for full scientific certitude, not expose people while we're waiting for Stephen Neprily, our Pre-planning specialist, will make a short presentation. Everyone receives a complimentary information package following the presentation. Everyone is treated to a free lunch at Bronte Chinese Cuisine. Bring a friend! "Children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental contaminants," said Rhodes, noting that they have immature and developing bodies, and tend to explore their environment by touching and tasting. "Please add our town to the list of communities that are legislating an end to these dangerous chemicals." However, a professor from the University of Guelph disputed how dangerous pesticides really are. Dr. Keith Solomon admitted that pesticide use carries some risk. "Nothing that we do is absolutely safe," he said. "We do not live in a risk-free environment." Solomon told councillors that the types Lindsay Hanson of lawn and garden chemicals available for full scientific certitude," said public purchase are no more toxic than Logan. "It just begs the ques- baby oil, while those used in agriculture tion, why take the risk? You and by licensed professionals are about as could just bend over and pull toxic as chlorine bleach. the weed out." Solomon, who has done pesticide Her comments were research studies for 40 years, said his work echoed by local family doctor has shown that common lawn and garden products dissipate "I think we have the rapidly from the human body responsibility to protect and the environment. people while we're waiting Councillors also heard for full scientific certitude, details of how the federal and provincial governments regisnot expose people while ter, license and control pestiwe're waiting for full cides. scientific certitude." Lindsay Hanson, a manager with Health Canada's Pest Heather Logan, director of cancer Management Regulatory control for the Canadian Cancer Society Agency (PMRA), said that the federal government employs Susan Rhodes, who spoke on about 350 scientists in areas of health, behalf of the Canadian environment and efficacy assessment, and Association of Physicians for only registers pesticides if they can be the Environment. shown to offer a "reasonable certainty of "Pesticides and herbicides no harm" when used as directed. are poisonous by definition," Monday night's meeting marked the she told councillors. "At large third time council has considered a bylaw doses, they kill people. At small regulating pesticide use since 2002. doses, they kill so-called pests." The first debate resulted in a referenRhodes said that studies dum question being placed onto the ballot have linked pesticide use to during the November 2003 municipal reproductive abnormalities, election. neurological disorders, horIn response to that question, about 52 monal disorders, depression of per cent of town voters said they didn't the immunization system and support a pesticide ban. other health problems. The issue returned to the council table in Feb. 2004, when a motion to ban pesticide use that had been introduced by Ward 5 councillor Jeff Knoll, failed on a six-tosix tie vote. Knoll also introduced the curBest Prices rent proposed bylaw, which, if approved, of the would take effect Jan. 1, 2008. Season If Oakville adopts the pesticide bylaw, it will be the 131st municipality in Canada to regulate the use of pesticides, according to Kathleen Cooper, a representative from the Canadian Environmental Law Association. Court challenges of municipal pesticide bylaws have affirmed that municipalities in most provinces, including Ontario, In Stock have the right to regulate the products to In Store protect human health, said Cooper. Specials "Basically, you're putting in place the new normal," she added. February 1 - February 28 Council was scheduled to hear from *6 month deferral O.A.C. another 26 registered delegations on Tuesday night, as discussion of the proposed bylaw continued. "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" For full coverage on that meeting see w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m e m b e r s . c o m Friday's Oakville Beaver or visit oakville406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE beaver.com. ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905.337.2066 Pre-Season BBQ Sale ON NOW!