BC Eyes Ban on Home Use of Pesticides

Flawless lawns without insects are unnatural, but that does not stop homeowners from striving for that goal. Canada’s British Columbia government is preparing legislation that would ban homeowners’ use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes, reports Randy Shore for the Calgary Herald. Lawn chemicals have been linked to leukemia and other cancers, with children especially susceptible. Nearly 40 communities in the Canadian province as well as Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia restrict common pesticides, a move endorsed by environmental and health groups. Industry spokesmen suggest the fears over pesticides and herbicides are overblown. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment notes, “Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals in the world, and also among the most dangerous to human health. They are a leading cause of poisonings here in Canada and have been estimated to account for thousands deaths each year globally.” – Yale Global