Chemical conundrum
Designed to kill
Just say 'grow': getting gardens off chemicals
Cities are doin' it for themselves
Way to grow!

Chemical Conundrum

It’s garden season. Time to get out and enjoy the fresh air, the warm sun - and maybe a little 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Well, maybe not enjoy it, but it sure is hard to avoid. Pesticides like 2,4-D are everywhere today - from farms where we grow our food, to golf courses and parks where our loved ones play. Sometimes these chemicals are called "cosmetic" pesticides, but there’s nothing attractive about them.

Cosmetic pesticides often contain ingredients, like 2,4-D, that are known or suspected of causing cancer. Although 2,4-D is widely available Canada, it has been banned in European countries like Denmark and Norway.

In fact, the Ontario College of Family Physicians recommends that the public avoid all pesticides. The organization recently published a review showing consistent links between pesticide exposure and serious illnesses such as leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and neurological diseases.

Children are especially at risk from pesticides because of their small size and the many hours they spend playing in yards and parks. Unfortunately, kids and pets don’t leave these chemicals in the garden - they inadvertently bring them into our homes on their shoes and clothes.

Chemical pesticides also inadvertently enter the storm water system and end up in streams, rivers and lakes, where they may kill or harm insects, frogs, and fish. In some cases, pesticides can contaminate our drinking water.

These are just a few of the reasons why more than 60 Canadian cities - including Toronto, Halifax and most of metro Montreal - have recently passed bylaws restricting cosmetic pesticides. After all, we shouldn't have to risk our health to stop and and smell the flowers.

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