This Earth Day, Ottawa citizens
are urged to resolve to garden with nature. Three
"C's" – Compost with essential
nutrients and microbes, Clover for drought tolerance
and natural fertiliser production in your lawn, and
Compassion for all species – will bring us
healthier landscapes and citizens.
Last year Ottawa bucked the
national trend towards organic gardening, as
homeowners used more pesticides, putting our
health and environment at risk. An Ottawa City staff
report states that water in creeks and the Rideau
River in the nation's capital is polluted with
pesticide runoff, much from lawns, gardens and golf
courses. Pesticide exceeded twice the standard for
surface water, prompting concerns for health and
safety.
"Sixty-three percent of
the water samples were contaminated with
pesticides," explained Dr. Meg Sears, CHO Chair.
"The insecticide diazinon, used for grubs, was
at levels harmful to aquatic species. The species at
risk include mosquito predators, that would protect
people from West Nile virus."
"Diazinon inhibits an
enzyme in the nervous system, AchE. Many of my
patients are severely disabled with very low enzyme
levels that do not improve," stated Dr. Jennifer
Armstrong. "There is a forty-fold variability in
people's ability to rid the body of this nerve
poison. Chronic exposure to pesticides in the
environment and drinking water could contribute to
keeping susceptible people sick."
"Drinking water from the
Ottawa River is tested according to a 1986 diazinon
limit of 20 ppb for drinking water. This 2003 stream
testing was more sensitive, done to the 0.08 ppb
standard for protection of aquatic species,"
stated Meg Sears. "We don't know if Ottawa's
drinking water would be free of pesticides if they
looked a bit harder, with more sensitive
testing."
"Phenoxy herbicides
(broadleaf weedkillers) were detected in 60% of the
water samples," noted Dr. Richard Van der Jagt,
Haematologist and Chair of the Canadian Leukemia
Studies Group. "Some pesticides cause birth
defects or cancer after chronic exposure. Many of the
most common cancers in children and in adults have
been correlated with the amount of exposure to
pesticides. Our current environment is now a
"chemical soup" and the effects of this on
public health are completely unpredictable". Meg
Sears added, "Phenoxy herbicides are
contaminated with chlorinated dioxins. These
persistent, bioaccumulative toxic substances are
linked to cancers, and to reproductive, immunological
and neurological problems."
"Government has a duty to
protect citizens and the environment from such
pollution," said Ottawa Councillor Alex Cullen.
"Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and all
of Québec are curbing the cosmetic uses of
pesticides. These test results show Ottawa has to
catch up and pass a pesticide bylaw, as soon as
possible."
For Further Information,
please contact:
Meg Sears M.Eng., Ph.D
Coalition for a Healthy Ottawa (613) 832-2806
Jennifer Armstrong M.D. Ottawa Environmental Health Clinic (613)
721-9800
Richard van der Jagt M.D. Ottawa
Hospital Research Institute (613) 737-8804
Alex Cullen Ottawa City
Councillor (Bay Ward) (613) 580-2477
Community Web.
