CCA News & Information Articles

Weed killer kills human cells. Study intensifies debate over 'inert' ingredients. 06-23-2009 By Crystal Gammon Environmental Health News Used in yards, farms and parks throughout the world, Roundup has long been a top-selling weed killer. But now researchers have found that one of Roundup’s inert ingredients can kill human cells, particularly embryonic, placental and umbilical cord cells. The new findings intensify a debate about so-called “inerts” — the solvents, preservatives, surfactants and other substances that manufacturers add to pesticides. Nearly 4,000 inert ingredients are approved for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, is the most widely used herbicide in the United States. About 100 million pounds are applied to U.S. farms and lawns every year, according to the EPA. What is the hangup? 06-16-2009 What is the hangup? A coalition of organizations and individuals is putting pressure on the provincial government to ban cosmetic pesticide use. That covers outlawing pesticides for use on lawns, flowers and other landscaping. It seems odd that the government wouldn’t jump on the suggestion and quickly pass the legislation. They wouldn’t be breaking new ground — municipalities across the country have already put a halt to homeowners using pesticides to make their properties look like they just came out of a gardening magazine. But there is another side of pesticides that much research shows is dangerous for animals and humans. Poisoned with pesticides? 06-16-2009 Coalition wants cosmetic use of lawn chemicals banned Dr. Ian Simpson became concerned about the effects pesticides have on human health in the 1970s after delivering a stillborn baby. Afterwards, the child’s mother told him at least seven other women she knew had also recently lost their babies. The common link was that all had been berrypicking along the pole line in Humber East the summer before, when the area was sprayed with pesticide. Cosmetic pesticide legislation expected this week 06-16-2009 The future of cosmetic pesticides in this province is expected to be announced this week. Environment Minister Roland Hache has indicated he intends to introduce legislation regarding pesticides. It's expected an announcement about a pesticide law will happen this week before the legislature wraps up its spring session. This province's landscape industry, health agencies and environmental groups are waiting to hear how far that proposed legislation will go. Earlier this year several public surveys were commissioned by the Canadian Cancer Society, the New Brunswick Lung Association and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment about pesticide use. Documentary tells how Quebec town launched anti-pesticide movement 06-02-2009 The town of Hudson, Que., glimpsed itself on screen Monday night, depicted as "ground zero" in the battle against the use of lawn herbicides and pesticides. That's how Paul Tukey, a U.S. television host and author, saw the town that was the first to ban use of these products in its jurisdiction. "I knew as a journalist that there had to be a good back story," Tukey told CBC News. "That somebody had to go out on a limb and take on these chemical companies, because the chemical companies, trust me, go to unbelievable lengths to ensure they have the right to sell these chemicals." Actions of Canada's Major Retailers Concerning Pest Control Products 06-03-2009 Chronology of Federal Pesticide Regulation in Canada 06-03-2009 Last year Mr. Pat Martin, MP for Winnipeg Centre, captured the current state of federal pesticide regulation by stating: "We also believe and are calling for the nationwide ban on the cosmetic, non-essential, non-agricultural use of pesticides. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec have now done it but that is only in the absence of leadership and direction from the federal government that should have done it without having to wait for other jurisdictions to do its regulatory job for it." For a chronology of Canada's Pest Control Products Act and actions towards banning the cosmetic use of pesticides, please click here. Women farmers face high pesticide risks, Viet-Nam News 05-26-2009 HA NOI - Rural women are at high risk of pesticide poisoning and other health damage, a new survey shows. The Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development, CGFED, estimates from the results of the survey that as many as 20 million people, mostly women aged between 30-39, are regularly exposed to pesticides. Its survey of more than 100 households in Bac Son, Pho Yen Commune in northern Thai Nguyen Province, where mostly tea is grown, revealed that women are exposed to an average of more than 400 pesticide canisters each year. CGFED managing director Pham Kim Ngoc says the town's women now work the crops because their men are away working in cities. They mix these chemical pesticides, spray it on the crops and clean the canisters after harvest. About 90 per cent of them do so while up to three months pregnant. Ha Noi University of Social Sciences and Humanities representative Hoang Ba Thinh says women are directly exposed to the chemicals for 2-3 hours daily, triple that of a man Gypsy moths: City's aerial weapon questioned 05-28-2009 By JONATHAN SHER , SUN MEDIA A London toxicologist is questioning the safety of the city's aerial spraying for gypsy moths. Richard Philp doesn't live near residents who've expressed concern about spraying in Warbler Woods or Somerset Woods Park, but he has more than a passing interest in aerial spraying: For 40 years he taught toxicology and pharmacology at the University of Western Ontario before retiring in 2005. He believes those who suffer from asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system could be harmed by spraying that took place last week, was postponed this week due to rain and is planned again Monday. "There is a sub-population that is at risk," Philp said. Organic reality: How you and your garden will cope in the brave, new post-pesticide world 05-16-2009 OTTAWA â?" With Ontarioâ?Ts new pesticide ban in effect, many of us will have to change the way we garden. Pesticide products that contain toxic ingredients (like 2,4-D and diazinon) are no longer available in garden centres and even more benign ingredients once considered organic (like pyrethrin and rotenone) are also banned. Weâ?Tre no longer able to rely on the quick fix to sort out bug problems; we are now being challenged to find out whatâ?Ts actually eating our plants and take action. Communities in Bloom Ontario - Healthy Lawns & Gardens 05-12-2009 "Going Pesticide Free" Seminar Series Communities in Bloom Ontario is excited to team up with The Ministry of the Environment and our partner organizations, the Master Gardeners of Ontario and the Ontario Horticultural Association to promote alternatives to conventional pesticides. A free seminar series, Healthy Lawns and Gardens - Going Pesticide Free will be held in locations across Ontario giving Ontarians advice and practical tips on caring for lawns and gardens using greener alternatives. Our mission is to raise awareness for the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of gardens and green spaces using healthier alternatives. Seminars: Markham Council Chambers, Markham, ON May 13, 7 - 9 pm Toronto Botanical Gardens, Toronto, ON May 25, 7 - 9 pm Vellore Historic Hall & School, Vaughan, ON June 1, 7 - 9 pm More details and seminar locations/dates coming soon.. Check back with us or visit www.ontario.ca/additup If you are interested in hosting a seminar, please contact us at 1-877-640-5004 or by email at cibontario@mountaincable.net. Islanders tired of waiting for ban on cosmetic pesticides, critics say 04-29-2009 Islanders tired of waiting for ban on cosmetic pesticides, critics say Representatives from Council of Canadians, Earth Action urge MLAs to pass legislation this spring Sharon Labchuk of Earth Action speaks as Leo Broderick of the Council of Canadians listens during a news conference on the steps of Province House Tuesday. They were calling on the provincial government to ban cosmetic pesticides. Lawn treatments go green 04-29-2009 MP pushes for national pesticide ban 04-28-2009 New Democrat MP Pat Martin has introduced a private member's bill in the House of Common Ont. pesticide ban could have trade implications 04-21-2009 TORONTO - Ontario will enact the toughest rules in Canada when its pesticide ban takes effect Wednesday, a move that could land the province in the legal crosshairs of an international trade dispute. Ontario is joining Quebec in restricting the use of pesticides, but its rules go further by prohibiting the sale and cosmetic use of more than 80 ingredients and 250 products, with few exceptions, experts say. Other provinces are considering similar restrictions to protect the environment and public health, including British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, said Lisa Gue of the David Suzuki Foundation. NAFTA - Dow to sue over Quebec pesticide ban 04-10-2009 Dow to sue over Quebec pesticide ban Claiming 'no scientific basis' for residential ban, U.S. company demands $2-million (U.S.) in damages under NAFTA's Chapter 11 by MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT Dow AgroSciences LLC has decided to sue the federal government over Quebec's ban on the residential use of pesticides. The U.S.-based company, maker of the herbicide 2,4-D, is claiming $2-million (U.S.) in damages, using controversial provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement that allow businesses to sue governments over regulations that harm their interests. Although Dow announced last year that it was mulling over such legal action, the company had until this month to file a formal notice of arbitration under NAFTA and begin its lawsuit. Cases Filed Against the Government of Canada 04-21-2009 Dispute Settlement NAFTA - Chapter 11 - Investment Cases Filed Against the Government of Canada "Dow AgroSciences LLC" v. Government of Canada Legal Documents (all documents are in pdf) Copies of all legal documents posted in the document archive have been prepared in a language of operation of the Tribunal or Court in question. The Government of Canada has not modified or changed them in any way. As such they have not been translated from the original. They are provided in Acrobat (pdf) files. To view or download pdf files you need Adobe® Acrobat® ReaderT a free software that you can download from the web. * Notice of Arbitration - March 31, 2009 * Notice of Intent - August 25, 2008 Ontario pesticide ban to mean lawncare changes 04-16-2009 Ontario homeowners used to letting pesticides do their heavy lifting for lawn care will see the rules change in just over a week. On Earth Day, which falls on April 22, the province-wide ban kicks in. Torontonians have a head start. The city implemented its own pesticide ban, which started on April 1, 2007. However, the province says its law supercedes municipal bylaws to "create one clear, transparent and understandable set of rules across the province." However, newcomers to the world of pesticide-free lawn care face a learning curve. U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 04-16-2009 Contact (news media): Suzanne Ackerman, (202) 564-4355 / 7819 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov Other inquiries: Linda Phillips, (202) 564-1264 / phillips.linda@epa.gov (Washington, D.C. ­ April 15, 2009) EPA has issued the first list of pesticides to be screened for possibly disrupting the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and possibly disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by the human or animal endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction. EPA Will Mandate Tests On Pesticide Chemicals Goal Is to Gauge Risk to Humans, Animals 04-16-2009 The Environmental Protection Agency for the first time will require pesticide manufacturers to test 67 chemicals contained in their products to determine whether they disrupt the endocrine system, which regulates animals' and humans' growth, metabolism and reproduction, the agency said yesterday. Researchers have raised concerns that chemicals released into the environment interfere with animals' hormone systems, citing problems such as male fish in the Potomac River that are bearing eggs. Known as endocrine disruptors, the chemicals may affect the hormones that humans and animals produce or secrete. Risk of birth defects linked to month of conception 04-05-2009 Babies conceived in the spring and summer are more likely than others to be born with a range of birth defects, according to new research. A possible reason: The levels of pesticides and other agrichemicals in surface water happen to peak at the same time. The U.S. study, published in this month's issue of the medical journal Acta Pædiatrica, relies on data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency and the birth certificates of 30.1 million babies born in the United States from 1996 to 2002. Report Finds Toxic Pesticide Combustion in Grass Seed Production 03-30-2009 Chapter11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 03-29-2009 House of Commons 40th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION Standing Committee on International Trade Meeting 10 March 24, 2009 9:06 a.m. - 10:57 a.m. ( EDT ) West Block, Room: 209 Studies/Activities: Chapter11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Will NAFTA exterminate Canadian pesticide bans? 03-29-2009 by Parminder Parmar, CTV.ca News A battle brewing over cosmetic pesticides between one of North America's biggest chemical companies and Canadian lawmakers may end up re-shaping the future of Canada's environmental policies in the years ahead. Next month, Onatario is set to become the second province in the country (after Quebec) to ban the sale and use of most off-the-shelf cosmetic pesticides. "The ban would eliminate the use of conventional pesticides for cosmetic purposes on lawns, gardens, school yards and parks," says an Ontario government press release. That means 250 products containing one or more chemicals on a list of prohibited materials will be pulled out of stores by Earth Day on April 22. EU completes 16-year pesticide review 03-23-2009 Detailed human health and environmental risk assessment of some 1,000 active substances authorised for use in pesticides before 1991 has led to the removal of more than two thirds of them from the market. NAFTA - Chapter 11, 2,4-D & Standing Committee on International Trade 03-23-2009 -------------------------- Standing Committee on International Trade Meeting No. 10 Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Room 209, West Block (613-996-1817) -------------------------- Previous Committee meeting available in full at clickable link P.E.I. banning cosmetic pesticides 03-09-2009 Islanders will have to revert to non-chemical methods of fighting dandelions.Islanders will have to revert to non-chemical methods of fighting dandelions. (CBC) The P.E.I. government intends to ban the sale of cosmetic pesticides starting in 2010. The Canadian Cancer Society on Ontario Pesticide Ban 03-05-2009 Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticides Ban 03-05-2009 What Licensed General Vendors Need to Know Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticides Ban 03-05-2009 What Limited Vendors Need to Know Ontario Pesticide data 03-05-2009 What Unlicensed Vendors Need to Know Banning pesticides on Earth Day in Ontario 03-05-2009 For details on Ontario's province-wide pesticide ban Weed killer 2,4-D on final list of banned pesticides in Ont.: minister 03-05-2009 Ontario has released a final list of pesticides that will be banned for cosmetic use and sale - including weed killer 2,4-D - starting on Earth Day on April 22. Environment Minister John Gerretsen says the new regulations will prohibit the sale and use of 2,4-D in its concentrated form, despite a NAFTA challenge from its manufacturer. Dow AgroSciences, a unit of Dow Chemical, filed a $2-million notice of action against the federal government last August. News Release:Ontario’s cosmetic pesticides ban takes effect April 22, 2009 03-04-2009 The ban protects Ontario families and children from the unnecessary risks of cosmetic pesticides by only allowing the use of certain lower-risk pesticides for controlling weeds and pests in lawns and gardens. The ban prohibits the sale and use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes on lawns, gardens, parks and school yards, and includes many herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Over 250 products will be banned for sale and more than 80 pesticide ingredients will be banned for cosmetic uses. There are exceptions for public health or safety reasons such as fighting West Nile Virus, killing stinging insects like wasps, or controlling poison ivy and other plants poisonous to the touch. Other exceptions include agriculture and forestry. Ontario nurses say pesticide ban creates healthier environment for children 03-04-2009 TORONTO, March 4, 2009 - When the province's pesticide law takes effect next month, it will include a comprehensive list of harmful and toxic substances banned for use on gardens and lawns. The sweeping regulations released today by the Ministry of Environment cap a long campaign by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), as part of a coalition of health and environmental groups that pushed for fast implementation of the law. "The Premier and the Minister of the Environment are to be congratulated for heeding the call of health and environmental organizations. Pesticides are poisonous and children right across the province will be better protected thanks to this announcement," says Wendy Fucile, President of RNAO. Provincewide pesticide ban takes effect April 22 03-05-2009 Jeff Outhit RECORD STAFF WATERLOO REGION Weed-killing pesticides can't be sold in stores or used on lawns and gardens after April 22. The Ontario government finalized its residential pesticide ban yesterday, listing more than 250 products banned from sale. "We're just extremely happy that the government has listened to the health and environmental people and taken this really bold step," said Susan Koswan of Pesticide Free Ontario. "That's the really big news on this, that they will no longer be sold." Beyond Pesticides on Ontario Pesticide ban 03-05-2009 Pesticide Free Ontario 03-05-2009 Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). 03-05-2009 on Ontario pesticide ban Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA). 03-05-2009 Ontario’s pesticide ban a victory for health and the environment 03-05-2009 The Suzuki Foundation Ontario to prohibit 85 cosmetic pesticides 03-04-2009 Environmental groups lobbying the Ontario government for a powerful cosmetic pesticide ban say the province is set to announce sweeping new regulations that will outlaw hundreds of chemical products from use on neighbourhood lawns. The Ministry of the Environment is expected to make its list of banned chemicals public tomorrow. If approved, most of the 85 substances - found in roughly 250 products - would be barred from sale and use for cosmetic purposes, said Gideon Forman of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Saving the world, one lawn at a time 02-16-2009 Tukey took his audience along on his journey from being a University of Maine journalism graduate, starting a landscaping company that in three years grew to having 800 customers, 27 employees and 11 trucks, to a key moment when he was forced to stop using chemicals in his work. Coming down with near-constant headaches, nosebleeds, rashes and other unexplained ailments, his doctor diagnosed him with acute chemical sensitivity and told him that if he continued to use the pesticides and fertilizers that had become the foundation of his work, he could kill himself. Arsenic Exposure May Be a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease 02-14-2009 To the Editor: Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, manifested by cognitive and memory deficits that impair daily activities and cause a variety of psychiatric and behavioral disturbances.1 Many risk factors have been proposed, which, due to some cellular and subcellular mechanisms, finally lead to brain nerve apoptosis. Agricultural pesticide use and pancreatic cancer risk in the Agricultural Health Study Cohort. 02-04-2009 Int J Cancer. 2008 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print] Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Pancreatic cancer is a rapidly fatal disease that has been linked with pesticide use. Previous studies have reported excess risks of pancreatic cancer with organochlorines such as DDT, however, many other commonly used pesticides have not been examined. CITIZENS SUE EPA to BLOCK SPRAY 11-29-2008 Study bolsters link between Parkinson's disease, pesticide 11-16-2008 Researchers have found a strong connection between the debilitating neurological disease and long-term exposure to pesticides, particularly to a fungicide that is sprayed on thousands of acres of almonds, tree fruit and grapes in the Valley. The fungicide ziram -- the 20th most-used agricultural toxin in California in 2006 -- emerged as a common factor in a UCLA study of 400 people with Parkinson's in the Valley. For years, researchers have suspected commercial pesticides put people at risk for Parkinson's disease. Now evidence in the San Joaquin Valley suggests it's true. *Growers advocates say it's important to keep ziram use in perspective. Ziram isn't the most popular pesticide, said Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League. About 46 million pounds of sulfur -- the most common fungicide -- were used on all California crops in 2006. This is 40 times the amount of ziram that was applied. "From our perspective, it would be great to let people know that the No. 1 pesticide used is an organic compound -- it is sulfur," Bedwell said. Campaigner wins seven-year battle to force rethink on use of pesticides 11-15-2008 An environmental campaigner yesterday won a landmark victory against the government in a long-running legal battle over the use of pesticides. The high court ruled that Georgina Downs, who runs the UK Pesticides Campaign, had produced "solid evidence" that people exposed to chemicals used to spray crops had suffered harm. Canada 's First Province-Wide Ban of Cosmetic Pesticides Threatened Under NAFTA 11-15-2002 note old historic announcement Pesticides more dangerous than thought 11-14-2008 -- U.S. scientists studying 10 of the world's most popular approved pesticides say, when combined, the chemicals caused 99 percent mortality in tadpoles. University of Pittsburgh researchers said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved pesticides, when mixed together, can decimate amphibian populations even if the concentration of the individual chemicals is within limits considered safe. Ontario Lobbyist Registry 11-13-2008 (as of October 29, 2008) CELA Calls on Harper and Obama to Fix Archaic Provisions in Chapter 11 11-13-2008 In a letter sent today to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President-Elect Barack Obama, CELA calls on the two leaders to take immediate action to fix NAFTA. By simply taking the current advice of trade departments in both countries, NAFTA would be amended in line with more recent bilateral trade agreements. CELA’s letter cites specific text in these more recent trade agreements that exclude provisions that are contained in NAFTA and that do so to ensure that regulation for legitimate public welfare objectives, such as health, safety and the environment, are protected. Online: Media Release and Letter . For more information, please contact: Theresa McClenaghan, Executive Director and Counsel, theresa@cela.ca 416-662-8341 Alberta bans weed and feed lawn products 11-13-2008 Albertans who covet weed-free lawns will have one less product at their disposal beginning Jan. 1, 2010 as the province announced it's banning herbicide-fertilizer combination products. Known most commonly as weed and feed, the products contain a chemical called 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) that is "highly mobile" when it runs off lawns into storm drainage systems and subsequently drains into creeks and rivers, said the province Thursday. NAFTA Expert 11-13-2008 Howard Mann Interational Sustainable Development Law 424 Hamilton Ave. South, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Y 1E3 E-mail: howard@howardmann.ca Tel: (613) 729-0621 Fax: (613) 729-0306 Pesticide ban almost ready 11-13-2008 The Last Roundup is coming. Draft regulations for Ontario's cosmetic pesticide ban outlaw the use of the popular lawn care product Roundup and will make the law the toughest on the continent, said Gideon Forman, executive director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. "It's the best in North America," said Forman, whose group helped the government draft the proposed rules. "Quebec has a good piece of legislation, Ontario's is even better. We're really, really pleased." Warning: Arsenic in our forests 11-13-2008 A stand of trees that has been infected with the pine beetle. CREDIT: A stand of trees that has been infected with the pine beetle. The B.C. Forests Ministry has produced a map of areas containing thousands of trees that the public and loggers are urged to avoid because of arsenic residue from the application of a pine-beetle pesticide no longer used in Canada. Monosodium methanearsenate, or MSMA, was widely used in B.C.'s northern and Interior regions from the mid-1980s until 2004 with assurances at the time that the pesticide, sold under the trade name Glowon, posed little threat to the environment or to human health. By 2005, MSMA was no longer in use in Canada after the manufacturer allowed its permit to expire. Arsenic risk linked to fight against beetle 11-13-2008 Hey Everyone, If you are burning wood you really need to check where it comes from and if it is sprayed. As wood also cleans the air and soil so remember it is absorbing toxins so make sure it isn't coming from near where farmers spray or near industry as well. I personally don't believe in wood burning as a safe form of fuel anymore. Take care and please keep safe. Deborah VANCOUVER -- The B.C. Ministry of Forests has produced a map of thousands of trees that the public and loggers are urged to avoid due to arsenic residue from the application of a pine-beetle pesticide no longer used in Canada. Monosodium methanearsenate, or MSMA, was widely used in B.C.'s northern and Interior regions from the mid-1980s until 2004 with assurances at the time that the pesticide, sold under the trade name Glowon, posed little threat to the environment or to human health. Even low concentrations of pesticides can become a toxic mixture 11-12-2008 A new research has found that when mixed together, even low concentrations of pesticides can become a toxic mixture, which can decimate amphibian populations. According to the research, undertaken by University of Pittsburgh researchers, this is the first illustration of how a large mixture of pesticides can adversely affect the environment. As part of the research, study author Rick Relyea, an associate professor of biological sciences in Pitt's School of Arts and Sciences, exposed gray tree frog and leopard frog tadpoles to small amounts of the 10 pesticides that are widely used throughout the world. Evidence too weak to say pesticides linked to cancer - yet: experts 11-12-2008 TORONTO — It's one of those thorny issues that keeps cropping up among scientists, health-advocacy groups and the public: do the myriad pesticides that farmers use to grow our food cause cancer? The answer? Nobody is really sure. At least that seems to be the consensus of world experts who gathered in Toronto on Wednesday for a two-day conference hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society. Cancer society turns sights to farm pesticides 11-12-2008 For years, the Canadian Cancer Society has argued in favour of bans on the cosmetic use of pesticides around homes and gardens. But it has remained silent on the country's biggest use of bug and weed killers: on farms. Now, the society is considering weighing in on whether these sprays pose a cancer risk to farmers, other rural residents near them, and to the wider public from eating foods carrying pesticide residues. To that end, the society is holding a conference starting today at which it has assembled experts to advise it on whether cosmetic-pesticide restrictions, which now exist in Ontario, Quebec and many municipalities, should be followed by tougher action against the use of the sprays in agriculture. The society doesn't have a view on the related issue of whether organically grown foods are a better option, a topic that will also be discussed. Pesticides risky when used in combination, watch produce you eat 11-11-2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study suggests that pesticides can pose a serious threat to the environment and possibly human health when used in combination in agricultural products at even levels the EPA allows although they may not cause any harm when used individually. The study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that concentrations of 10 most commonly used pesticides that fell within EPA safe-exposure levels when combined killed 99 percent leopard frog tadpoles. Pesticides: Tough negotiations ahead as MEPs back bans 11-06-2008 The European Parliament's environment committee approved a ban on pesticides that are toxic to human health, setting the stage for a showdown with EU member states which favour a more lenient approach. Amid growing public concern over the impact of pesticides, the Commission presented in July 2006 a 'pesticides package' aimed at protecting human health and the environment from their dangerous or excessive use in agriculture. The package includes a new Regulation to tighten pesticide usage and authorisation rules in Europe and a Framework Directive laying down common objectives and requirements for sustainable use of pesticides. Provinces must stand up to bullying on pesticide bans 11-06-2008 Dow Chemical’s recent $2-million notice of action against the Canadian government, essentially a NAFTA challenge regarding Quebec’s cosmetic pesticide ban, was well-timed. This month, Ontario will release details of its own pesticide ban. According to Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen, the ban will include all products containing the chemical 2,4-D, Dow’s baby, regardless of threats by Dow. If Dow follows through with its suit, it has little chance of winning. International law functions on the precautionary principle, which means the burden will fall on Dow to prove that its product is safe despite ample scientific evidence to the contrary. Groups praise Ontario for remaining firm - Doctors, Citizens Blast NAFTA over Pesticide Ban 11-06-2008 OTTAWA, Nov. 6 /CNW Telbec/ - The Council of Canadians and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) today condemned NAFTA for letting chemical giant Dow sue Canada over a Quebec pesticide ban. "Citizens in every corner of the country are outraged that a U.S.-based transnational firm would attack Quebec's environmental laws," says Council of Canadians board member and trade expert, Steven Shrybman. MEPs back toxic pesticide ban despite industry pressure 11-06-2008 EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - In the face of strong opposition from agribusiness and industry, MEPs have backed a ban on toxic pesticides. On Wednesday (5 November) deputies in the European Parliament's environment committee voted on two legislative proposals from the commission, one on approval of pesticides and the other aiming to reduce their use across the EU. The pesticide industry has attacked MEPs as ideologically driven (Photo: wikipedia) The committee backed 39 to 20, with six abstentions, a cross-party compromise that would see a list of chemical ingredients - or 'active substances' - that are approved drawn up at the EU level Questionable NAFTA rules impact taxpayers 11-05-2008 American chemical giant Dow is seeking compensation from our federal government for losses incurred from Quebec's ban on the use and sale of cosmetic pesticides. The ban came into full effect in 2006 and has resulted in a significant decrease in the use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes in that province. Dow is challenging Quebec's law under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Chapter 11 allows foreign corporations to challenge federal governments of other NAFTA countries when they believe a policy or law of that country will negatively affect their investments NAFTA a boon to the rich, but the rest of us worse off 11-04-2008 NAFTA a boon to the rich, but the rest of us worse off During the week of Oct. 27, we heard a great deal about the U.S. elections on our TV news, but I saw nothing about the fact that Dow Chemical was suing the Canadian government for $2 million. Why is Canada being sued and why is it being kept quiet? We are being sued because Quebec, to protect its own citizens, is putting a ban on the pesticide 2,4-D (Ontario is planning to do the same). Why it is being kept quiet is a more complicated question. Under chapter 11 of NAFTA, corporations can sue our federal government for millions of dollars, and already have, if the corporation can blame the government (provincial or federal) for loss of profits. Thus NAFTA gives corporations the power to dictate to our elected governments what they can or cannot do. TILMA, the new "trade" agreement between some provinces, and probably coming to Quebec and Ontario, gives corporations the same power over provincial and municipal governments. Ontario to continue with pesticide ban despite NAFTA complaint 11-03-2008 Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretson told the Canadian Press this week that his government still intends to ban the chemical 2,4-D under new pesticide legislation, despite a major chemical manufacturer’s intentions to seek a $2-million settlement from the Canadian government for breaking its NAFTA obligations over the ban. The chemical is expected to be on the list of pesticide ingredients to be banned for cosmetic use in Ontario released in the near future, and has already been banned in Quebec. Dow AgroSciences, a division of Dow Chemical that makes 2,4-D, says that Quebec’s ban violates the Chapter 11 fair treatment sections of the NAFTA agreement. Do assessments, but quickly; 11-03-2008 It is interesting to read that the American company Dow, which manufactures the pesticide 2,4-D is charging the Quebec government under NAFTA. Dow alleges that Quebec is prohibiting the sale of 2.4- D without any scientific basis. Wow. Here we go again. Isn't it interesting that the companies that make pesticides and the companies that use them dispute the science which says that they are dangerous to our health? I have never heard of Canada charging the U. S. government under NAFTA and winning. Company accuses Quebec of prohibiting 2,4-D without scientific basis 11-03-2008 - Chemical & Engineering News DOW AGROSCIENCES is challenging Quebec's provincewide ban on the residential use of weed-killing chemicals as a violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is seeking at least $2 million in compensation from the Canadian government. The company, whose 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide is widely used to control broadleaf weeds, contends that the prohibition on lawn and garden chemicals is inconsistent with the investor-protection provisions of the trade agreement among Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Quebec instituted its pesticide ban two years ago. Fight back on this public health issue 11-02-2008 I am a retired federal intelligence analyst, currently honorary Canadian observer on the umbrella Pesticide Working Group in Washington. This is a public health issue and we should fight back. Surely, a foreign government should not interfere in internal Canadian affairs pertaining to the nation's public health. This writer was opposed to Chapter 11 of NAFTA from the beginning. Our federal government should have never agreed to include this atrocity. Registered nurses and doctors thank Minister for strong pesticide stance 10-31-2008 - Ontario's registered nurses and doctors say that Environment Minister John Gerretsen did the right thing in standing up for public health against Dow Chemical on pesticides. Wendy Fucile, President of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), applauded the Minister for his firm stand against the threat from a challenge under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). "The Minister sent a timely message that protecting the public from the cosmetic use of pesticides is more important than protecting the right to sell pesticides." Dow's NAFTA challenge ties our lawmakers' hands 10-30-2008 Dow Chemical's NAFTA Chapter 11 challenge of Quebec's restriction on the use of 2,4-D is the latest in a series of blows to Canadian legislators' ability to protect Canadians' health and environment. This latest dispute, like those before it, will be arbitrated in secret by a small group representing the chemical company and the government. To date, no NAFTA arbitration panel has ever ruled in favour of the environment, repeatedly allowing corporate interests to trump health and environmental protection. It is entirely possible that this panel will again decide that a chemical company's right to profit is more important than the power of a government to protect its residents' health, and we will shell out millions of taxpayers' dollars to Dow. NAFTA challenge won't stop Ont. from going ahead with pesticide ban: minister 10-28-2008 TORONTO — Ontario won't back down from its plan to prohibit the cosmetic use and sale of weed killer 2,4-D despite a NAFTA challenge to Quebec's pesticide ban, Ontario's environment minister said Tuesday. "The NAFTA challenge in and of itself - or potential NAFTA challenge - won't have any effect on whether we think we're doing the right thing," said Environment Minister John Gerretsen. Protect pesticide bans 10-26-2008 An American chemical company’s recent lawsuit against the Canadian government could hamper Nova Scotia municipalities’ efforts to protect citizens from pesticides, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says. Dow AgroSciences, a Canadian unit of Dow Chemical, has taken action under the North American Free Trade Agreement under a Chapter 11 suit, arguing that a ban on lawn pesticides is not based on science and will hurt its business. Halifax Regional Municipality has a similar ban, and other municipalities have pressed the province to be given the authority to institute their own. Quebec defends pesticide ban; Challenge by Dow. Chemical firm seeks $2 million from Ottawa because of province's decision 10-23-2008 The Quebec government defended last night its 2006 broad ban on pesticides, which has sparked a U.S. agro-science company's legal challenge under NAFTA. Dow Agrosciences LLC said yesterday it is seeking a $2-million settlement from Canada over Quebec's ban of the company's weed killer 2,4-D. Indiana-based Dow, which has a Canadian subsidiary in Calgary, said it will file a challenge under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which provides investor protection from certain government actions. Weeding out the facts 10-23-2008 - Letter To The Editor Ban on pesticides may face NAFTA test 10-22-2008 Dow AgroSciences is considering using the controversial investor-protection provisions of the North American free-trade agreement to seek compensation from the federal government over Quebec's ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides. The company, a maker of the weed-killer 2,4-D, filed a notice of intent to submit a claim to arbitration under NAFTA in late August. The 27-page legal action was posted yesterday on the Foreign Affairs website, where it is listed as a dispute to which Canada is a party. U.S. Chemical Company Challenges Pesticide Ban 10-22-2008 The issue of free trade was largely a non-issue during our recent federal election. However, the North American Free Trade Agreement might have garnered a few headlines if the Feds had disclosed that U.S. chemical giant Dow signalled in late August that it is gearing up to sue Canada. Dow Agrosciences insists Quebec's province-wide ban on the residential use of weed-killing chemicals breaches legal protections owed by Canada to U.S. investors under the NAFTA. The U.S. company, which has an extensive manufacturing and sales operation in Canada, wants to be compensated by the Feds for losses incurred to its star product, 2,4-D, one of the most popular chemical ingredients used in commercial pesticides. A study of farmers finds that high pesticide use over a lifetime is associated with clinical depression. 10-08-2008 Context What did they do? What did they find? What does it mean? Resources More new science from EHN Synopsis by Kim Harley, Ph.D. and Wendy Hessler farmer spraying pesticide.A study of farmers finds that those with the highest number of lifetime exposure days to agricultural pesticides were 50% more likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression than those with the fewest application days and were 80% more likely if they had applied a class of insecticide called organophosphates. This is the first study to find a link with chronic, low-dose pesticide exposure, although previous studies show an increased risk of depression among people exposed to very high doses or poisoned. This study reinforces concerns that exposure to commonly used pesticides could cause psychiatric disorders. Depression and Pesticide Exposures Among Private Pesticide Applicators Enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study 11-14-2008 download full study here for free To protect salmon, restrictions placed on three pesticides 11-19-2008 Farmers in Washington and along the entire West Coast face extensive new restrictions on three popular pesticides in the name of protecting salmon. The pesticides are common in the state's apple and cherry orchards, potato fields and berry farms. Restrictions could cover big swaths of Washington farmland where streams carry a variety of federally protected salmon and steelhead, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. That includes orchards around Wenatchee and Yakima and Western Washington agricultural centers in Skagit and Whatcom counties. One of the pesticides, chlorpyrifos, also is used on golf courses. Another, malathion, is used by some public-health agencies to kill mosquitoes. David Suzuki Foundation urges retailers to stop selling toxic chemical pesticides 10-10-2008 Toronto – The David Suzuki Foundation released the results of a survey today that finds four major retailers in Canada have phased out or are in the process of phasing out toxic chemical lawn and garden pesticide products, while four others have no plans to do so. The Foundation asked eight residential lawn and garden product retailers about plans to discontinue sales of chemical pesticides. “The switch to non-toxic gardening strategies is gaining momentum across Canada,” says Lisa Gue, health and environmental policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation. “Retailers can be part of the solution by discontinuing the sale of synthetic chemical pesticides and dedicating their shelf space to ecologically safer products.” Alzheimer's disease could be treated with insulin 02-15-2009 Hey Everybody, A reader sent this article to me, (Shaheen Akhter an arsenic researcher)and I am very grateful for it. I will be starting insulin this week for my newly diagnosed diabetes because I have potential risk factors for oral medications. As both arsenic and pesticides increase our risk for diabetes and Alzheimer's it is very good to know that research is being carried on in this area. Children being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is on the rise and while diet certainly comes into play I believe that the cosmetic use of pesticides and cca , arsenic treated wood in playgrounds and at home on decks etc. certainly is a factor in this upsurge. I will follow up with a study on arsenic’s link to Alzheimer's in the arsenic section. Take care everybody and please keep safe. deborah