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Any company wishing to import, sell or use a new pesticide in Canada must apply to
federal government for permission and undergo an assessment by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada and Health Canada. The company must provide scientific data about
pesticide's usefulness and safety, including information about
amounts left in food. Government experts review
information, examine
pesticide's efficacy and effects on plants and animals, to confirm that
product will do
job it promises, without harming humans or
environment. Environment Canada evaluates
impact of
pesticide on
environment, and
Environmental Health Directorate of Health Canada reviews
data to ensure
safety of workers exposed to it. They also decide what labels
pesticide must bear, stating who can use
product (household or industrial use) and in what amounts.
The story doesn't end here. The regulatory process also demands follow-up on a pesticide once it's approved checking that it's properly applied and evaluating
amount left in foods when it gets to
table. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) -
amount of pesticide residues allowed in food - are set according to
Food and Drugs Act of Canada. The amount of residue consumed from all foods must not exceed
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). (The ADI for a pesticide is
amount considered safe for a human to consume each day for an entire lifetime.) Canada's ADIs approximate those set by
Worm Health Organization. Imported foods are also analyzed to make sure that none entering Canada contains residues of a pesticide not approved for use in this country and that
residue levels of those considered appropriate comply with Canadian regulations.
In February 1992,
Canadian government agreed to implement recommendations developed by a Pesticide Registration Review Team designed to improve
current regulatory system and make sure that human health and
environment continued to be adequately protected. The Review Team's recommendations were to:
* increase resources for developing safer and more effective pesticides; * establish a Pest Management Alternatives Office which will look for alternate approaches to pest control; * improve access to information on pesticides for those working with them.
Want more information on pesticides in food?
Consult
toll free information service established in 1985 by Agriculture Canada and Agri-Food Canada to provide information on
use, safety and regulation of pesticides. (Call 1-800-267-6315). To find out how organic foods are grown, contact
Canadian Organic Growers Association: (613) 256-1750. (See also Loring Windblad’s article series on “organic farming” [found in GoArticles.com under “food”] for additional insights into better foods and better growing practices.)
How about organically grown products ?
According to
International Food Information Council, although there are no legal standards for
term "pesticide-free," labeling foods this way implies that they are free of any pesticide residues. However, there is no concrete evidence that foods labeled "organically grown" are in reality safer or more nutritious than those produced using conventional agricultural practices. Many organic growers in fact use natural pesticides, such as suffur or copper, and there are no studies showing
relative risks venus benefits of applying naturally occurring rather than man-made pest killers.
