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AGRICULTURE:
Pesticides
Pesticides,
including herbicides,
insecticides
and fungicides,
are widely used
in agriculture.
However, many
of the chemicals
used in pesticides
pose threats
to human health
and the  environment.
Pesticides cause
a wide range
of environmental
impacts including
degradation of
habitat, contributing
to loss of biodiversity
and water pollution.
Humans
can be harmed
by pesticides
through direct
exposure during
the application
process or exposure
through pesticide
residues in food
and water. Many
pesticides include
ingredients that
are persistent
(i.e. they do
not breakdown
in the environment),
highly mobile
and capable of
bioaccumulating.
These toxic substances
can affect the
immune system,
harm the reproductive
system and cause
cancer. Pesticides
are causing significant
health impacts
in northern Canada
because of long-range
air currents
and the traditional
diet of northern
Canadians.
Canada’s
OECD Ranking
Canada ranks
22nd out of 28
OECD nations
in pesticide
use per capita.
Canada used 0.95
kilograms of
pesticides per
capita in 1994.
Only the Australia,
Italy, France,
Belgium, the
United States,
and Portugal
use more pesticides
per capita than
Canada.
Canada
used 29,206,000
kg of pesticides
in 1994, ranking
18th out of 28
OECD nations.
The
Trend
According to
the OECD data,
pesticide use
in Canada appears
to be declining,
by 26% since
1985. However,
Canada lacks
credible information
on pesticide
use. The OECD
points out that
Canada’s
“survey
coverage has
varied greatly
(different active
ingredients,
registrants and
products); survey
trends therefore
may not reflect
actual trends
but simply changes
in the survey
coverage.”24
Statistics Canada
recently published
figures indicating
that pesticide
use in Canada
rose over 400%
between 1970
and 1995.25
Canada
is one of the
only OECD nations
that does not
require reporting
of pesticide
sales. Canada’s
Commissioner
for the Environment
and Sustainable
Development said
in his 1999 report
to Parliament
that “without
such data, Canada
has no ability
to accurately
measure amounts
of pesticides
used and released
into the environment.
This information
is needed to
monitor the risks
to health, safety
and the environment.”26
Similarly, Environment
Canada admits
“the lack
of more detailed
data about pesticide
production, use,
emissions and
effects over
time represents
a significant
impediment to
adequate tracking
of these substances.”27
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