WHISTLER - While the municipality has not used pesticides on its property for many years, Council took another formal step in the community's journey to sustainability last night, by adopting a bylaw banning the nonessential and cosmetic use of pesticides within the Resort Municipality of Whistler.
Canadian research has shown consistent links between pesticide exposure and serious illnesses such as cancer, reproductive problems and neurological diseases. Although the review found consistent evidence of the health risks to patients with exposure to pesticides, it specifically highlighted the fact that children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure.
Bylaw 1822, 2007 will take effect immediately for all property or portion of property within the Resort Municipality of Whistler's boundaries, and on private lands as of December 31, 2008. Only those permitted pesticides listed within the Provincial Integrated Pest Management Regulation will be exempted from this regulation and approved for ongoing use. Anyone who applies pesticides is potentially affected, including homeowners, renters, landscape professionals and yard care companies, and contravention could mean a $250 fine.
The pesticides most commonly used on lawns and gardens include herbicides (for killing weeds and plants), fungicides (for destroying fungi), and insecticides (for killing insects). So how do residents, homeowners and maintenance crews keep lawns green and weeds at bay? The municipal horticultural and turf crews, who have kept Whistler green and beautiful without using noxious chemicals, are standing by to answer gardeners' questions. As well, more information on pesticide-free gardening is posted under Residents/Health & Safety/Pesticide regulations.
Over 100 communities in Canada have enacted, or are in the process of developing similar pesticide regulations. Currently in British Columbia, 12 other municipalities have similar pesticide regulation bylaws either fully adopted or in draft form, including Vancouver, the District of Maple Ridge, City of North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Port Moody, Comox and Gibsons.
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