Update: Council Hears Group’s Pitch For Pesticide Ban

UPDATE

Vernon council will discuss a request for a ban on non essential pesticides on private and public lands in the city at its next meeting.

Terry Dyke from the Sustainable Environment Network Society told council, it’s a matter of people’s health, as the chemicals cause cancer and other diseases.

“There are 40 communities in BC that already have the ban that were asking for including Salmon Arm, Kelowna and Revelstoke,” said Dyke.

Dyck says he’s been to cities that have the bans and their lawns, gardens and streets look great using alternatives.

He gave council a 25 page petition of people supporting a ban.

“The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment has actually linked pesticides to not only cancer, but reproductive dysfunction, diabetes, autism, asthma, birth defects,” said Dyke.

SENS member Keli Westgate says governments should exercise caution,

“Young children may be unaware of the danger of pesticides and may not recognize signs warning them to stay off treated grass. Their organs are still developing, they eat and drink more relative to their body weights than adults and tey spend more time playing close to the ground where pesticides may have been applied,” says Westgate.

Westgate says soapy water and vinegar are examples of natural products that can be used for bugs and weeds.

A local group wants the City of Vernon to take action to limit pesticide use.

The Sustainable Environment Network Society will be at city council today, seeking a bylaw restricting thew use of cosmetic pesticides on private and public land.

Mayor Akbal Mund says council will take some time to respond.

“What they’re asking for is an overall ban of pesticides. That will be controversial. That’s fine. They’ll do the ask and we’ll let staff come back with a report.

The SENS group says due to their potential for harm, they want municipal and provincial governments implement policies to ban the sale and use of pesticides.

“I know we don’t control banning the sale of it, so in other words, people would still use it, then it becomes, how do we go out and police that?” wonders Mund.