Chemical bans do harm

 Re: "Pesticide plunge overdue" by Cherry Dodd and "Ban is just common sense" by Gideon Forman, Letters, Feb. 26.

 Cherry Dodd reminds me of myself 45 years ago, when I and the governments of the U.S., Canada and others believed nature writer Rachel Carson and activist groups that DDT was harmful and was sure to kill us and bird life. The use of DDT was banned when it could be saving hundreds of thousands of lives from malaria in Third World countries.

 [ AUDIO: Cherry Dodd, Edmonton Naturalization Group & Pesticide-Free Edmonton; https://pesticidetruths.com/public/mp3/COE%20Agendas%20&%20Minutes%20-%20CDodd.mp3 ]

 But the decision made by fat cats living in mosquito-proof houses in a country that no longer had malaria didn't seem to care about people who can't afford mosquitoproof homes.

 I am glad we still have responsible people in charge of our provincial government, counties and cities who don't readily listen to environmental activism, which leads people to believe unfounded misinformation. I am glad our government officials don't ban useful chemicals that would not be sold if they were carcinogenic. They are being used only when required to control noxious weeds and vegetation and to reduce buildup of fine fuels which, in their cured state, contribute to fire hazards on industrial sites, power lines, railroads, city facilities and farms.

 The American Council on Science and Health is dedicated to separating proven health risks from unfounded health scares.