----- forwarded message ----- Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 21:57:24 -0500 (EST) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: QUÉBEC ADOPTS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN NORTH AMERICA TO DECREASE EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES
Press Release http://www.menv.gouv.qc.ca/communiques_en/c20030305-pesticides.htm Health, Environment and Pesticides: QUÉBEC ADOPTS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN NORTH AMERICA TO DECREASE EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES Québec, March 5, 2003 - Mr. André Boisclair, Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, Greater Montréal, Environment and Water today announced the adoption of a new Pesticide Management Code to strictly regulate the storage, sales and use of pesticides in Québec. The Code will link the minimal and prudent use of these products with the protection of citizens' health and the environment. " Through this regulation, Québec becomes the first place in North America to ban the most dangerous pesticides for health and the environment. The action undertaken today by the Québec government will reduce people's exposure to these products which are particularly noxious to children's health ", declared Minister Boisclair. More Restrained and Safer Use of Pesticides First, it is henceforth prohibited to use the most harmfulness pesticides on lawns of public, semi-public and municipal green spaces. Over the next three years, this prohibition will extend to all private and commercial lawns . Due to the continuing uncertainty about their harmfulness, herbicides made up of active ingredients 2,4-D, MCPA and mecoprop will continue to be prohibited for precautionary reasons until the availability of the products' revaluation results by recognized organizations. In addition, it is furthermore prohibited to apply almost any pesticide inside or outside child care centres, as well as elementary or secondary schools. In both cases, specific rules will henceforth govern the application of pesticides still authorize. Moreover, minimum distances from bodies of water, watercourses and water intakes must be observed during the preparation and application of pesticides. Specified distances will also be required from human activity zones in the case of significant drifts, specifically in orchards and during aerial spraying and when pesticides are used in high-traffic vehicule, train and energy corridors. As an additional measure, service companies in charge of maintaining green spaces can no longer apply mixtures of pesticides and fertilizers. This practice constitutes a non-essential use of pesticides. Finally, golf courses will be required to submit a triennial pesticide reduction plan to the Ministère de l'Environnement, the first plan being required over the next three years after the Pesticide Management Code has gone into effect. Better Management of the Pesticide Sales Process Over the next year, one of the main measures of the Code will prohibit the sale of fertilizer-pesticide mixtures, as well as mixed packages, such as herbicide-insecticide mixtures. In addition, within two years, direct access to the most high-risk domestic products will be prohibited to the general public. These products should be stored on special access shelves. Trained staff should be available to advise customers and provide them with instructions for safe product use and handling. Moreover, within three years, the sale of certain domestic pesticides used in lawn maintenance will be prohibited in Quebec. The Regulation respecting permits and certificates for the sale and use of pesticides has also been amended. Changes include the creation of permits and certificates specifically intended for retail sale, as well as the broadening of certification requirements to include all farmers and forest managers who use pesticides. In addition, the Ministère de l'Environnement continues its efforts to improve the training of salespeople working in the sector of domestic retail pesticide sales. It should be noted that the Pesticide Management Code results from recommendations made in the report submitted in March 2002 by the Groupe de réflexion sur les pesticides en milieu urbain, whose mandate was to identify possible solutions that would enable Quebecers to reduce their dependence on these products. This regulation bill was the focus of a public consultation which took place from July 3 to September 3, 2002. At the consultation, over 71 individuals, groups and organizations presented their opinions and suggestions to the Minister of the Environment, and 134 letters of support were sent to him. Adjustments were made to the regulatory text in order to take into account the majority of the comments received. These adjustments do not modify the orientation of the regulatory bill whose goal is to reduce pesticide exposure risks, particularly to children, and to protect the environment during activities related to storage, sale and use of pesticides. Overall, whether the adjustments related to minimum distances, prohibited pesticides or storage standards, they were undertaken through modifications to the Code which maintained the desired environmental gains. In addition, to ensure better protection of groundwater, conforming adjustments to the Regulation respecting groundwater catchment are underway. "The Government of Québec is once again breaking new ground with this avant-garde regulation which aims to provide citizens with a clean environment. For the well-being of future generations, I invite municipalities, businesses and individual Quebecers to contribute the new direction proposed in the Pesticide Management Code. The Code's adoption represents a significant investment in the health of Quebecers", concluded the Minister. Information regarding the Pesticide Management Code and the Regulation Adjustments to the Regulation respecting permits and certificates for the sale and use of pesticides is available at the following address: http://www.menv.gouv.qc.ca/pesticides/permis-en/code-gestion-en/index.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- APPENDIX 1 - LIST OF ACTIVE INGREDIENTS WHICH WILL BE PROHIBITED FOR LAWN MAINTENANCE PURPOSES (s. 25, 31 and 68) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Insecticides Carbaryl Dicofol Malathion Fungicides Benomyl Captan Chlorothalonil Iprodione Quintozene Thiophanate-methyl Herbicides 2,4-D sodium salts 2,4-D esters 2,4-D acide forms 2,4-D amine salts Chlorthal-dimethyl MCPA esters MCPA potassium or sodium salts MCPA amine salts Mecoprop, acide forms Mecoprop, amine salts Mecoprop, potassium or sodium salts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- APPENDIX II - LIST OF ACTIVE INGREDIENTS WHICH WILL BE ALLOWED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE CHILD CARE CENTRES AS WELL AS ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (s. 32, 33 and 72) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Insecticides Acetamiprid Boric acid Borax Silicon dioxide (diatomaceous earth) Methoprene Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate Ferric phosphate Insecticidal soap Spinosad Fungicides Sulfur Calcium sulfide or calcium polysulfide Herbicides Acetic acid Fatty acid Herbicidal soap - 30 - Sources : Martin Lévesque Press officer Office of the Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Greater Montréal, the Environment and Water Tel. : (418) 521-3911 Louise Barrette Communications Department Ministère de l'Environnement Tel.: (418) 521-3823, ext. 4163 --------- Pesticide Management Code Avoiding pesticides. a natural thing to do. http://www.menv.gouv.qc.ca/pesticides/permis-en/code-gestion-en/index.htm ------------------------------------------- Ensuring improved conditions for health and the environment The Pesticide Management Code sets strict standards to control the use of pesticides. This project is part of an effort by the government to establish a framework aimed at limiting the harmful effects of pesticides on human health - especially on the health of children - and on the environment. Many citizens, environmental groups, research centres, municipalities and private companies have expressed their wish for regulation aimed at reducing the risk of pesticide exposure for people and the environment, notably in urban environments where the majority of Quebecers This bold regulation, one of the most innovative in North America, is the outcome of wide-scale consultation. Its aim is to ensure that permit or certificate holders make cautious and measured use of pesticides. The environmental management approach that it advocates would limit the non-essential use of pesticides to the bare essentials in matters of lawn maintenance, with public, semi-public and municipal property particularly in mind. Day care centres, elementary and secondary schools shall also be as free as possible from pesticides. Though pesticides may be useful in certain cases, we must nonetheless recognize that they are noxious, and acknowledge that we must take steps to limit their use. When these products must be used, it should not compromise our health or environment in any way. Above all, we need a healthy and clean environment. I would therefore like to ask citizens, individually and collectively, to use pesticides in a responsible manner and to choose alternative means whenever possible. I also invite you to take notice of this new regulation which strives to provide us all with an environment to be proud of. André Boisclair Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Greater Montreal, the Environment and Water Why should the government intervene in the use of pesticides? Pesticides are substances designed to destroy an organism that is considered harmful or undesirable. These products are a threat to health and to the environment. The following are a few categories of pesticides: Pesticide categories Targets Insecticides Insects (cockroaches, etc.) Herbicides Undesirable plants (poison ivy, ragweed, etc.) Fungicides Fungus (plant disease such as apple scab, etc.) Rodenticides Rodents (rats, mice) The use of pesticides often causes water, air and soil contamination, and thus affects organisms which are not targeted by these products. Several epidemiological studies have shown that there are links between pesticide exposure and health problems, especially in children. Certain characteristics which are specific to infants and young children (nutrition, playing behaviour, developing bodies), put them at greater risk of being poisoned than adults. In Québec, the Pesticides Act, which has monitored the sale and use of pesticides since 1987, has aimed at carrying out the following objectives: avoiding and minimizing effects on health and the environment; rationalizing and reducing the use of pesticides. The Pesticide Management Code sets standards to control the use of pesticides in order to reduce chances of exposure for people and the environment. This Code is the result of a vast consultation carried out in 1998 by the Ministère de l'Environnement. Moreover, it follows the recommendations of the Groupe de réflexion sur les pesticides en milieu urbain, whose mandate was to discover means of reducing Quebecers' dependence on and exposure to the products used for green space maintenance. In the March 2002 report entitled "Pour la protection de la santé et de l' environnement, la gestion environnementale en milieu urbain", the focus group made nearly fifteen main recommendations. The Pesticide Management Code and the amendments to the Regulation respecting the sale and use of pesticides are in keeping with the group's two guiding principles, which are precaution - as the toxicity of the products has yet to be thoroughly studied and pesticides should therefore be used carefully - and exemplary behaviour, which contributes, among other things, to changing habits through pesticide management in urban environments, beginning with public and municipal lawn spaces. The policy's requirements, considered to be essential elements of environmentally responsible behaviour in urban areas, will be introduced gradually to allow time for the different parties to change their habits with regard to pesticides, as they will eventually be required to use fewer pesticides, and to use them in a way which is respectful both of health and the environment. Highlights of the Pesticide Management Code Under the Regulation respecting permits and certificates for the sale and use of pesticides, the Pesticide Management Code introduces stricter rules for the sale and use of pesticides to permit and certificate holders. Commercial and private users include farm producers and forest managers. Certain provisions concern citizens, notably the observance of minimum distances from bodies of water and streams. More specifically, the most important elements of the project are: Pesticide Use Rules: it is prohibited to use the most toxic pesticides on the lawns of public, semi-public and municipal green spaces, except for golf courses; it is prohibited to use the most toxic pesticides on thelawns of private and commercial green spaces, three years after the introduction of the code; it is prohibited to use almost all pesticides inside and outside child care centres and elementary and secondary schools, and specific rules must be observed when using authorized pesticides; it is prohibited to use certain aerosols indoors; minimal distances must be observed when using pesticides or when preparing pesticide mixtures near bodies of water, streams or rivers and water intakes, for all types of equipment used; specified distances from watercourses and inhabited areas will also have to be observed in the case of equipment causing significant aerial drift (in orchards for example), during aerial spraying and when pesticides are used in high-traffic vehicle, train or energy corridors; golf courses are required to submit triennial plans for the reduced use of pesticides to the Ministère de l'Environnement, three years after the code's introduction; application of information modalities for the public and the Ministère de l' Environnement when certain pesticides are used in forests and high-traffic vehicle, train or energy corridors; billposting and pesticide warnings when pesticides are used in urban areas and on golf courses; specific rules apply during fumigation (aeration, schedule, posting of warnings); specific rules apply for aerial spraying (for example: marking the location); ground applications of pesticides to reduce adult biting insects is prohibited. Sale Rules: it is prohibited to sell fertilizer-pesticide mixtures and mixed packages (e.g. herbicide and insecticide), one year after the code's introduction; it is prohibited to display products intended for domestic use in a way which makes these products accessible to the public, two years after the code's introduction; it is prohibited to sell certain pesticides intended for domestic use three years after the code's introduction. Layout rules for the storage, loading and unloading of pesticides: retention and backflow prevention system, etc.; distance from floodable areas, rivers, municipal wells, etc.; environmental liability insurance for large capacity storage. Other regulatory amendments Other regulatory amendments aim at: repealing the Regulation respecting the use of DDT, the provisions of which will be included in the Pesticide Management Code; amending the Regulation respecting the application of the Environment Quality Act in order to retrieve from the authorization procedure activities which now fall under the Pesticide Management Code, notably the use of pesticides in high-traffic vehicle, train, or energy corridors; Amendments to the Regulation respecting permits and certificates for the sale and use of pesticides The amendments aim at ensuring convergence with the federal Pest Control Products Act, and at updating product classification and certification requirements in light of the provisions of the Pesticide Management Code. Moreover, the Ministère de l'Environnement continues its efforts to improve the training of salespeople working in the sector of retail domestic pesticide sales. More specifically, the proposed amendments are: the fusion of two sub-categories concerning fumigation activities in agricultural areas (simplification of the regulation); the modification of class 4 and 5 domestic pesticides to meet the Management Code's requirements regarding over-the-counter sales; the creation of specific permits and certificates for retail sales; the broadening of certification requirements to include all farmers and forest managers who use pesticides, two years after the code has been introduced, and according to a three-year schedule. For detailed information on this project, call us at (418) 521-3830 or at 1 800 561-1616, or by e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or on the Internet at www.menv.gouv.qc.ca .
