The Pest Control Safety Council of Canada, a new group founded to provide public information about the safe and responsible use of pest control products, said today that the use of pesticides in conjunction with a variety of tools is necessary to protect public health.

"Most people realize that pesticides are necessary and beneficial to public health," said Chris Lemcke, the Council's co-chair. "It's essential that pesticides be used safely and responsibly. That's why we believe in giving homeowners better information, taking a consistent approach to regulation in municipalities across Canada, and requiring the highest standards in the use of pesticides."

High standards, better public information
Lemcke said the Council wants all users of pest control products to follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. He described IPM as "a holistic approach to pest management that is based on prevention, use of a variety of tools and - when required - the judicious application of pest control products to manage weeds, insects and other pests in homes, public buildings and green spaces."

Homeowners, professional applicators, the golf course industry, and those who treat railway, hydro, roads and rights-of-way use pest control products.

"We disagree both with those who say 'do nothing' and with those who call for extreme solutions like banning pesticides," Lemcke said. "We stand on the reasonable middle ground by calling for action to ensure the responsible use of pest control products to protect our homes, our communities and ourselves from damage and disease."

Pesticide policy must be based on science - not myths
"Despite the myths we hear from time to time, the science is clear: pesticides are safe when they're used according to label directions," Lemcke said. "The motives of special interest groups may be good, but their science is not."

The Council also released Debunking the Myths, a review of scientific studies on pesticides. The paper concludes "the responsible use of pesticides has brought many benefits in the form of better and cheaper food, a cleaner and healthier environment, and the eradication of disease."

Pesticides are strictly regulated by federal and provincial laws and cannot be sold without testing and subsequent registration by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Under the Pest Control Products Act, only products that do not pose a risk to human health or the environment when used according to label instructions are registered for sale in Canada. In fact, the federal government has tabled legislation to strengthen pesticide regulation even further and to make the registration system more transparent.

National health regulators and international agencies have also studied the science behind pesticides, and Canada's approach is consistent with that of the World Health Organization, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and regulators from other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

Lemcke noted that a recent University of Michigan School of Public Health review of more than 160 studies found a lack of carcinogenic effects on animals given a lifetime feeding of 2,4-D, the most widely-used herbicide in the world. He said the Pest Control Safety Council disagrees with anti-pesticide activists who call for a ban on lawn spraying, given the significant benefits of pest control products and the lack of evidence of harm from the use of herbicides. A ban, he said, would be costly and virtually impossible to enforce. Many cities have bylaws requiring homeowners to restrict growth of noxious weeds or other plants.

"The extreme solution of a pesticide ban just won't work. Legislators have a responsibility to enact laws that are enforceable and based on sound science," Lemcke added. "They should not bend to emotional appeals that interfere with people's rights without clear justification or cause."

About the Pest Control Safety Council of Canada
The Pest Control Safety Council's mission is to provide public education on the safe and responsible use of pest control products across Canada. Its members represent thousands of workers engaged in professional lawn care, vegetation management, parks, golf course management, structural pest management, manufacturing, product formulation and retail sales.

For more information:

Chris Lemcke
Pest Control Safety Council
(416) 835-5384
[email protected]

Rajani J. Kamath (media only)
Argyle Rowland Communications
(416) 968-9331, ext. 241
[email protected]