To the editor;
Re: B.C. cosmetic pesticides ban rejected by committee, North Thompson Star/Journal, May 21, 2012.
The British Columbia Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticide use should be commended for examining the issue of urban pesticide use so thoroughly.
The committee received 8675 submissions and held 22 meetings where presentations were made by dozens of witnesses including experts from Health Canada, environmental groups, industry organizations, scientific organizations and academics.
In the end, the committee made 17 recommendations but came to the conclusion that scientific evidence does not warrant preventing British Columbians from buying and using approved pesticides so pesticides should not be banned in B.C.
The committee did its due diligence on this topic and discovered that pesticides in Canada are regulated by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency which employs over 350 scientists who are experts in their field. The review process involves a comprehensive set of 200 tests and a review of all scientifically credible studies that exist to ensure the product will not cause harm to people, animals or the environment.
If the report from the committee had been different and they had instead recommended a ban, the groups that are unhappy with the actual outcome would be commending the government on a thorough process that looked at all available science before making the decision they did.
It’s ironic that these same groups only like the ‘growing and suggestive body of evidence’ when it yields the answer they want - fortunately for Canadians science doesn’t work that way.
The B.C. Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticide Use did look at all available science and made the right decision to continue to ensure British Columbians have access to useful tools to protect private and public properties from pests.
Lorne Hepworth
President, CropLife Canada -
Representing the plant science industry
received by email