Re: Eco-conscious ways to tend to your lawn (Mirror, June 14).
I understand that homeowners are more environmentally conscious today and how they care for their lawns and gardens plays an important role in improving the environment.
However, there was misinformation about pesticides provided in a recent article that should be corrected.
Readers should know that before any pesticide can be sold in Canada, it must first be approved by Health Canada. This process involves a comprehensive set of over 200 tests and a review of all scientifically credible studies that exist to ensure that the product will not cause harm to people, animals or the environment.
Through this process pesticides receive a greater breadth of scrutiny than any other regulated product and only those products that meet Health Canada’s strict health and safety standards are registered for sale and use.
The fact of the matter is that pesticides used on lawns and gardens are designed as tools to address specific pest problems infesting valuable landscapes. Pesticides help control threats to human health (such as rats and mosquitoes), they protect private and public properties from pest infestations and they help ensure that Canadians have a safe and affordable supply of food thereby contributing to healthier communities and greater well-being and prosperity.
By all means, readers can practice other techniques to keep their lawns and gardens healthy, but they should know that pesticides can be safely used and Canadians should feel comfortable if they choose to use them.
Lorne Hepworth
President, CropLife Canada – representing the plant science industry