Pesticides require precautions
Councillor O'Neill grossly distorts the precautionary principle and disingenuously ignores the huge body of scientific knowledge of cosmetic pesticides.
The precautionary principle guides us to avoid chemicals that are known to be dangerous without waiting for overwhelming proof that they sicken people and pets in our own city, or in our yards.
The toxicity of these chemicals is known in minute detail; as a former Environment Canada toxicologist, I have produced some of the literature myself.
While modern pesticides are not as toxic or persistent as older banned ones, they are still toxic or they would not work.
Used as directed, they still kill beneficial, non-target organisms, such as earthworms.
The Health Canada approvals only apply when used as prescribed, but many people use too much, or too often, or to kill plants or animals not prescribed on the labels.
Pesticides can drift into a neighbour's yard, or be tracked into the house by pets and people.
Some people and pets are more sensitive than average, and can become sick even when a pesticide is used as directed.
There are cheap and easy alternatives, such as a weed puller for dandelions and non-pesticide treatments for fungus on the roses or weevils on the rhododendrons.
We should keep cosmetic chemicals out of our city because we don't need them for healthy yards and gardens and because however benign they are, they still kill.
Lee Harding, PhD Coquitlam
via Pesticides require precautions.
Beware of Self-Proclaimed Non-Expert Screeching Monkeys with Inadequate Credentials, Suspect Opinion, and Mythical Stories
Anti-Pesticide Activist Lee Harding is a former administrator and scientist for Environment Canada and Canadian Wildlife Service, but left his government position in 1997.
His work consisted of studies of caribou, grizzly bears, mink, and muskrats.
Harding has produced NO scientific literature pertaining to the use of pest control products in the Urban Landscape.
In fact, he has NO recognized training, experience, or background with these products.
Anti-Pesticide Activists like Harding are NOT CREDIBLE experts on pest control products.
Harding is also CLOSELY ATTACHED to Anti-Pesticide Organizations like Wildsight and Port Moody Ecological Society, which also make his opinion COMPLETELY SUSPECT.
Ostensibly, Harding wants the Government of British Columbia to IMPLEMENT a NEEDLESS, SENSELESS, and MALICIOUS PROHIBITION of pest control products used in the Urban Landscape.
Furthermore, Harding has a VESTED INTEREST in PROMOTING Anti-Pesticide PROHIBITION since he has been operating a FOR-PROFIT environmental consulting business named SciWrite since 1984.
However, Harding is CORRECT in saying that there is a HUGE BODY SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE regarding pest control products.
Scientific research shows, as reported through Health Canada’s VAST TOXICOLOGY DATABASE, that NO harm will occur when pest control products are used according to label directions.
The ASSESSMENT of pest control products is COMPREHENSIVE and EXPENSIVE, and Canada has some of the HIGHEST STANDARDS IN THE WORLD for the ASSESSMENT of these products.
The tests required by Health Canada to determine the safety of pest control products are based on INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.
Health Canada requires each new pest control product to go through a comprehensive set of over TWO-HUNDRED SEPARATE TESTS and a REVIEW of all scientifically credible studies that exist to ensure that the product will NOT CAUSE HARM TO PEOPLE, ANIMALS OR THE ENVIRONMENT.
Not surprisingly, Harding HAS NEVER conducted a serious scientific study on pest control products … evidently because he is NOT COMPETENT OR MOTIVATED to do so.
Nonetheless, Harding COULD NOT EVEN BE BOTHERED to have used the EXTENSIVE TOXICOLOGY DATABASE that is available from either Health Canada or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Evidently, Harding prefers to attempt PROFITING from Anti-Pesticide PROHIBITION with his environmental consulting business, at the expense of the Professional Lawn Care Industry.
Harding ALLEGES that « some people and pets are more sensitive than average, and can become sick even when a pesticide is used as directed ».
We say … SHOW US THE BODIES.
More specifically, medical records, medical records, medical records.
We say … SHOW US PROOF that medical records are being somehow withheld from the ENTIRE WORLD.
Who are, or were, those people ALLEGEDLY harmed by pest control products ?
Where are the medical records ?
Anti-Pesticide Activists like Harding MUST STOP using « mythical sensitive people » who DO NOT EXIST.
They MUST STOP using TOTALLY FALSE and UNTRUE MIS-REPRESENTATIONS designed to alarm and enrage the public and enhance their BUSINESS, CASH-FLOW, PROFIT, or CELEBRITY.
WILLIAM H. GATHERCOLE AND NORAH G
NORAHG is the National Organization Responding Against HUJE that seek to harm the Green space industry.
NORAHG morally represents the VAST SILENT MAJORITY of people associated with turf and ornamental plant maintenance who are OPPOSED to Anti Pesticide PROHIBITION and the CLOSURE or ABANDONMENT of green spaces under the RIDICULOUS PRETEXT of somehow « saving » the environment.
NORAHG is a NATIONAL NON PROFIT NON PARTISAN organization that does not accept money from corporations or governments or trade associations, and represents NO VESTED INTERESTS WHATSOEVER.
NORAHG is dedicated to reporting the work of RESPECTED and HIGHLY RATED EXPERTS who promote ENVIRONMENTAL REALISM and PESTICIDE TRUTHS.
NORAHG was the brainchild of William H. Gathercole and his colleagues in 1991. Mr. Gathercole is now retired, although his name continues to appear as founder.
We are living in the DARK AGE OF ANTI PESTICIDE TERRORISM where sound science is trumped by JUNK SCIENCE and UNVERIFIABLE SECRET EVIDENCE through FABRICATION, INNUENDO, and INTERNET RUMOUR ― scientific research PROVES that pest control products CAUSE NO HARM and can be USED SAFELY.
HUJE are enviro-lunatics, anti-pesticide activists, and lawn-haters, who particularly DESPISE the golf industry.
There is NO RECOURSE but LITIGATION against these HUJE.
Another RECOURSE is to SEEK the CANCELLATION of GOVERNMENT GRANTS and REVOCATION of the TAX EXEMPT STATUS of their organizations.
HUJE should Get OFF Our grASS, and they should Roast In Hell.
NORAHG manages the Library Force Of Nature Reports and References, which is a VAST ARCHIVE of DOCUMENTS, AUDIO CLIPS, and VIDEOS on ALL Anti Pesticide Terrorist Acts of Subversion.
The purpose of this ARCHIVE is to provide information that will lead to a SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION against Anti-Pesticide Vermin.
All names, statements, activities, and affiliations have been ARCHIVED for the intention of eventual CRIMINAL CHARGES.
When CRIMINAL CHARGES for FRAUD and CONSPIRACY are laid, legal experts say that there is sufficient information to lead to a SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION !
For The Pesticide Truths Web-Site that contains History, Links, Audios, Videos, and Media News Reports right off the press, go to the following link …
https://pesticidetruths.com/
For The Complete Library of Force Of Nature and A Look At Reports & References, as well as Litigation Information, go to the following link …
https://pesticidetruths.com/toc/
For more information about NORAHG Letters to the Editor, go to …
https://pesticidetruths.com/toc/letters-to-the-editor-letters-of-complaint/
For a copy of the original Letter to the Editor, go to the following link …
https://pesticidetruths.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Force-Of-Nature-Letter-to-the-Editor-2012-02-23-Harding-Beware-of-Self-Proclaimed-Expert-Coquitlam-BC-RESPONSE-pdf.pdf
NORAHG has also archived more information on The Pesticide Truths Web-Site …
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
http://wp.me/P1jq40-1J6
SCREECHING MONKEYS
http://wp.me/P1jq40-2vf
COQUITLAM, BC
http://wp.me/P1jq40-3vl
BRITISH COLUMBIA
http://wp.me/P1jq40-1O6