Pesticide ban back on the table in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – The notion of a Kamloops-wide ban on cosmetic pesticide use is back on the city’s agenda this week.
Tabled on June 2, the debate has seen lobbying from both sides of the aisle via the media, city council delegations and online petitions.
First introduced as a motion by Coun. Tina Lange about six weeks ago, council and staff have gathered more information and are set to discuss the motion Tuesday, July 14.
In the six weeks since the item was tabled, the parks department has been collecting information in order for council while residents and organizations have been taking a stand for or against the idea.
Stopping short of making a recommendation, the parks department says there will be a financial burden if pesticides are no longer allowed, especially in the maintenance of sports fields.
While the city uses alternative methods of pest control and chemicals are only used as a last resort, it estimates the alternatives would cost roughly $70,000 more to maintain sports fields. If turf needs to be replaced due to an overgrowth of weeds, the parks department estimates $100,000 per field. Staff believe the ‘Tournament Capital’ cannot present less than perfect sports fields.
When it comes to bylaw enforcement, the department believes there may be an extra strain on officers if a ban is put in place. Not only are these pesticide calls demanding of their time, but it is difficult and laborious to determine what chemical was used. The parks department recommended increased education in order to change public behaviour voluntarily.
Terry Ormrod of Nutri-Lawn and Jacquie Doherty of Grassroots Choice Lawn Care previously presented to council to plead their case as small business owners. Their main point was they are professionals and the ban would only force pesticide use into the hands of untrained homeowners with potentially dangerous results.
The Kamloops North Shore Business Improvement Association supported Doherty, Ormrod and local businesses like theirs in an open letter earlier this month. The association poked holes in the pesticide ban logic, noting while the city can regulate the use of pesticides, they cannot regulate the purchase of pesticides.
At Tuesday's council meeting three delegations are scheduled to speak about the pesticide ban: two for the ban and one against. The speakers include a physician and environmentalist, a retired university professor and a master gardener with the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners Association.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
2 responses
-
Tina Lange can you please move somewhere else.Kamloops isn’t the place for you and your silly ideas.
-
NORAHG RESPONDS AGAINST PROHIBITION IN KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA?NO ONE WANTS THIS #@!% BAN NONSENSE!The pesticide-hating councilor Tina Lange is WRONG about her proposal to recklessly, arbitrarily, and unilaterally prohibit against conventional pest control products in Kamloops, British Columbia!No one wants this #@!% ban nonsense!In jurisdictions outside of Kamloops, anti-pesticide prohibition has already inflicted catastrophic carnage for businesses operating in the professional lawn care industry.Because of prohibition, an overwhelming number of these businesses disappear into oblivion within 2 or 3 years after prohibition.Because of prohibition, vast numbers of workers in the professional lawn care industry become unemployed.http://wp.me/P1jq40-43BBecause of prohibition, neighborhoods are ruined by pests, and green spaces become dangerous and pest-infested garbage dumps.http://wp.me/P1jq40-44ghttp://wp.me/P1jq40-4z3Dandelions become the dominant ground cover.So-called green alternative pesticides are stunningly expensive and simply do not work.http://wp.me/P1jq40-445Besides, any prohibition is a farce since residents can obtain conventional products either from other provinces, or from across the border in the United States, or through the Internet.http://wp.me/p1jq40-4mSIf/when city of Kamloops decides to impose prohibition, then residents and municipal officials had better get used to crawling on their hand and knees like cotton-pickers for weed-picking and insect-removal.No one wants this #@!% nonsense of manual weed picking just because there is an arbitrary prohibition!If a small minority of highly-motivated fanatics, such as yourself, want to spend 40 to 50 hours plus per week pulling weeds from their properties, that’s their prerogative.IMPOSING that life-style on everyone else for no good reason IS NOT.Besides, Manual Weed Picking is TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.http://wp.me/P1jq40-4MlNo one wants this cotton-picking nonsense in Kamloops!The pesticide-hating Tina Lange is WRONG!No one wants this #@!% ban nonsense in Kamloops!For more information regarding PROHIBITION INFLICTING CATASTROPHIC CARNAGE, go to…http://wp.me/P1jq40-26PWe are the National Organization Responding Against HUJE that conspire to destroy the Green space and other industries ( NORAH G ).As a non-profit and independent organization, we are environmentalists who are dedicated to reporting about NON-EXPERT PESTICIDE-HATING FANATICS, as well as the work of RESPECTED and HIGHLY RATED EXPERTS who promote ENVIRONMENTAL REALISM and PESTICIDE TRUTHS.http://wp.me/p1jq40-8DVGet the latest details athttp://pesticidetruths.com/WILLIAM H GATHERCOLE AND NORAH G.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.