Overview
How pesticides are regulated in Canada
Understanding the Act, Regulations and Allowable List
Understanding how pesticides are regulated in Canada• Federal Government
• Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) registers pest control products
– Label is a legal document
• Provincial Government regulates the storage and use (approvals, certification, auditing, compliance)
Background
• Public Consultation in winter 2009/2010– 80% of public support for this legislation– Act passed May 2010
• Regulations and List of Allowable Pesticides approved December 2010
– Consulted extensively with the lawn care industry, medical groups and special interest groups
The Act
• Non-essential Pesticides Control Act was passed on May 11, 2010
• Beginning April 2011 Act restricts pesticides labeled for sale or use in, on or over a lawn except those on the Minister’s “Allowable List”
• Beginning April 2012 Pesticides labeled for outdoor tree, shrub, flower or other ornamental plant will be restricted
The Act
• The Act exempts:– Forestry– Agriculture– Golf course
• The Act does also not apply to:– Indoor use– Structural/Public Health (carpenter ants, fleas, bed bugs,
rodents)
The Act
• The Act does apply to the use of specific pesticides on lawns and ornamentals, including:
– Residential property– Apartment/condo buildings– Commercial property– Government property (Provincial and Municipal
and likely Federal)– Cemeteries– Institutional (e.g. hospitals, schools, universities)
Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations The exceptions are:
– animal that bites, stings, is venomous or carries disease or poisonous to human touch
– fungus, plant or animal that may negatively affect a building, structure or machine
– alien invasive species, other than a plant, that may negatively affect the health of humans, the environment or the economy
– alien invasive species that are plants
Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations
• Only one active ingredient is allowed to treat poisonous plants, plants that may impact a structure or alien invasive plant species.
• a. i. – glyphosate, recognizable trade name is Round-up
Exceptions to Prohibitions on Non-essential Pesticides Regulations
• So how does someone buy a pesticide for excepted uses?
• Purchasers must speak with a certified vendor.
• Purchasers are not permitted direct access to pesticides that are for excepted uses.
Certified vendor
• Is required to provide written information about the circumstances under which the pesticide is permitted to be used.
Changing Behaviour
• Program philosophy: landscaping pesticides are not necessary so they now have more restrictions
• Community Based Social Marketing Approach
• Restrictions start at the retailers
• Students are verifying compliance through visits
Industry Education
• Landscape NS - industry association representing professional landscaper
– help in getting messages out to their businesses– help with consumer advice for growing a healthy lawn
• Pesticide Wholesalers– very important group since they can help limit retailers’
product choices
• retailers – emails and visits– there is not an industry association for this group
Public Education
• Brochures sent through all the major newspapers– promotion of healthy lawn practices to avoid the need for
pesticides– promotion that there is a new law
• Minister’s program launch & press release
• Ongoing media interviews
• Nonprofit environmental education organizations conducting outreach throughout the spring
– home shows, farmers markets, demonstrations