Courts in Canada and the US have ruled in favour of groups challenging glyphosate risk assessments. Concerns over possible industry influence are heightened with falsification re. nHL in final US ATSDR report on glyphosate.
Advocates for social justice and equity, environmental protection, and public health call on Parliament to expedite passage of Bill C-226, Canada’s first environmental racism law. The House of Commons committee approved the bill without amendment, so the bill is now in line for a final vote in the House of Commons and must then be passed in the Senate.
PCN and C4ST examined submissions to the ISED 26, 28 and 38 GHz consultations, and found a surprising agreement between the telecommunications companies and the citizens' groups, that the auction should not proceed as planned.
If CEPA was indeed protecting public health, we would expect declining diseases from environmental exposures. Canadian examples point to the opposite. Endocrine-related obesity and metabolic syndrome, disorders of early development and sexual differentiation, and cancers in hormone-sensitive tissues have not been prevented. Endocrine disruption does not follow classic dose-response, so these substances must be regulated based on their innate hazard. With many thousands of EDCs, classes of similar chemicals require group actions.
A regulatory conclusion that an environmental exposure poses an “acceptable risk” is initially based on little data. Ethically, regulators should follow up to detect harms at the earliest possible opportunity. Relying on epidemiology can result in harms to generations.
A Parliamentary Petition to ban glyphosate and to reduce pesticide use in Canada is worthy of support. Substantial pesticides reduction and alternative strategies are essential to avoid regrettable substitutes, and importantly to support biodiversity, healthy environments, food and people. Indeed, a stated goal of the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15) is to reduce pesticides by two thirds. Organic, regenerative agriculture needs more support.
Organic, regenerative agriculture is an important element for sustainable, healthy food supplies, soil quality and conservation, and blunting climate chaos.