Broad Support for Limiting Pesticides
UPdate Fall 1999

 

     A recent survey for the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) shows an impressive 83 per cent of the 508 residents contacted support a pesticide bylaw that  would place restrictions on the use of landscape pesticides. The two main reasons given for  their support are " health is too important" and "too much risk to people."
     The survey was conducted by Corporate Research Associates.  Deputy Mayor Larry Uteck noted that the number who favour a Pesticide Bylaw is an even higher level of support than the number who expressed support for a Harbour Cleanup.
       More than fifty communities across Canada have campaigns underway now for pesticide bylaws and many municipalities already have bylaws partially or totally rejecting toxic landscape chemicals.
      Since it began four years ago, the local campaign effort has been coordinated by Real Alternatives to Toxins in the Environment (RATE). Now that the provincial
government has allowed  the HRM to regulate bylaws, the next step is the drafting of a pesticide control by-law.
      RATE asks that anyone who supports the concept of a pesticide-free community should make every effort to attend and speak (even briefly) at the upcoming HRM public hearings on the pesticide bylaw, which will take place sometime this fall.
      This will be a rare and hard-won opportunity to acheive some form of regulatory control on involuntary pesticide exposures, thereby reducing healt  risks to our community our children, and the health of those sensitive to pesticides.
      If you want to be called on to support this bylaw when the time comes, or are willing to help with the phoneing of others, please contact RATE by phone (479-1440) or by e-mail (rate@chebucto.ns.ca).  Visit the web site at
  http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/RATE

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