Halt herbicide use, health officer says
Sikora urges using chemicals on noxious weeds as a last resort
The local medical officer of health has called on Edmonton officials to virtually eliminate herbicide use on city land.
“The current policy, with turf surveillance, restricted chemical use and exemptions is structurally challenging and complex,” Dr. Christopher Sikora wrote in a letter to city councillors obtained by the Journal.
“It is our observation that the proposed change would streamline city maintenance, would have clearer definitions and should decrease the overall utilization of herbicides within the city.”
The community services committee is set to debate a proposal Monday to ban cosmetic herbicides on city land, but still keep them to fight noxious weeds.
Sikora said in an interview Friday that chemicals should only be used for noxious weeds if other control methods don’t work.
“I think a good general principal is use the least-toxic substance and the least amount possible,” he said.
“I think their proposed policy can be implemented relatively easily.”
While the health risk posed by herbicides is low, the risk of a child being injured by slipping on a weed on a playing field is also low, he said.
He doesn’t want youngsters to lose time on sports fields while they are closed for herbicide treatment.
“This helps get the kids outdoors, playing outside and using those fields for what they’re intended.”
Coun. Ben Henderson, who proposed the ban, said he expects numerous speakers at the meeting to discuss the move, which councillors have rejected several times since 2001.
Edmonton’s integrated pest management strategy focuses on fertilizing, aerating, overseeding and other weed-control methods before using herbicides.
In the late 1990s, Edmonton treated half its 4,200 hectares of turf each year using boom sprayers.
Last year, that fell to 3.8 per cent, mostly to spot-treat noxious weeds.
“I’m not out there saying we should never be using pesticides. The stuff on the noxious-weed list is clearly invasive species,” Henderson said.
“We need to keep them in our arsenal, but for things that are only taking advantage of the fact that we’re not taking care of our lawns, I don’t think it’s worth the health risk.”