(OTTAWA) - Daniel Green, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada, issued the following regarding the recent International Agency for Research on Cancer report on malathion and glyphosate pesticides:
“In Quebec, glyphosate use has increased since 2000. From 350,000 hectares, it is now applied to over 1.175 million hectares of Quebec corn fields, and is regularly detected in streams and rivers thanks to run-off.
“We must heed the precautionary principle and ban its use in Canada. Chemicals that are classified by the IARC as ‘probable carcinogens’ often turn out to be, over time, a recognized carcinogen.”
Andrew Park, the Green Party’s Environment Critic and candidate for Winnipeg South Centre, continued:
“Malathion is a pesticide, and a neurotoxin with known medical and ecological impacts. Malathion has been shown to impair short term memory and spatial awareness in mice. And in addition to mosquitos and target pests, it kills useful insects, such as bees.
“As in all things, we must exercise the precautionary principle. To our knowledge there have been no studies of the dangers potentially experienced by Winnipegers who are exposed to malathion during aerial spraying for nuisance mosquitoes. In the absence of such studies, and considering the recent findings of the IARC review, it is better to err on the side of caution and say no to these insectides.”
-30-
For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
cell: (613) 614 4916
office: (613) 562 4916 (224)
julian.morelli@greenparty.ca