Salmon Arm council supports in principle a ban on the agricultural use of neurotoxic pesticides, including neonicotinoids, provided action is taken at the provincial and federal levels.
In October, council was asked by the city’s Environmental Advisory Committee to move toward a bylaw banning the use of pesticides which kill insects by targeting their nervous system. These have been found to have a neurotoxic effect on mammals as well.
Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper said council agreed to support a ban in principle, but made no motion to take action locally.
“We talked about it, and it’s really higher levels of government who would have to decide on that particular issue,” said Cooper. “It would include the ministers of agriculture, provincial and federal. It has to come from higher up than just the city.”
Studies, including one by the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, indicate neurotoxins may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders in humans, particularly Parkinson’s disease. The neurotoxin Glysophate, used in the herbicide Roundup, has been linked to Parkinson’s, autism, infertility and cancer.
Neonicotinoids, a neurotoxic insecticide similar to nicotine, is commonly used in Canada to treat corn and soy crops. In September, Health Canada proposed tighter restrictions on their use due to the impact they have on bees and other pollinators. A news release from Health Canada states that in 2012, it received a significant number of “pollinator mortality reports,” largely from corn-growing regions in Ontario and Quebec.
“Areas of high corn production correlated well with the locations of bee mortalities. Approximately 70 per cent of the affected dead bee samples tested positive for residues of neonicotinoid insecticides used to treat corn seeds…,” states Health Canada. However, the federal government is not looking to ban the use of neonicotinoids, but only to improve the safety of planting practices and related education.
Cooper said a letter will be sent by the city to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, as well as the ministries of environment and agriculture, stating the city supports a ban.
“So, when they’re looking at it they know the City of Salmon Arm does have some concerns and would like to see something done there.
