The federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency is recommending that the controversial herbicide 2,4-D continue to be registered as a product suitable for use on lawns and turf, although it is proposing to tighten label instructions on use.
A representative of the industry immediately said the Feb. 21 PMRA decision bodes well for a parallel review of the future of 2,4-D as an agricultural product in Canada.
The agency is re-evaluating the safety of all pesticides and herbicides registered before 1995. It was first registered in Canada in 1946 and last year, farmers purchased an estimated 2.8 million kilograms of 2,4-D.
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“The bulk of the review of 2,4-D has been completed and the finding was that it is safe to use,” Larry Hammond, technical chair of the industry task force on 2,4-D said in a Feb. 21 interview. “With that work done and those conclusions drawn, I do not think the agricultural part of the evaluation will be as difficult. I believe registration will be renewed at the end of the review period.”
The PMRA has said it wants to complete the review of 2,4-D and other widely used chemicals by next year.
While the industry welcomed the announcement, environmental critics said they were devastated. They insist there is evidence that the chemical is a health and environmental hazard.
“This is a very sad day, unbelievable,” said Glenda Whiteman of Winnipeg, a member of the Canadian Coalition for Health and the Environment.
