The federal government’s new pesticide regulation legislation is now law and chemical companies and farmers are saying: “great but ….”
The first major overhaul of pesticide regulation and approval rules in more than 30 years went through the House of Commons and Senate last year and was proclaimed into effect in December.
It promises more attention to approving new less environmentally toxic chemicals while working to reassess and if necessary ban older and more harmful products. It also promises more stringent tests to make sure vulnerable populations are protected, and a more “transparent” system of assessing and approving new chemicals.
Croplife Canada, which represents chemical manufacturers, said the new act is welcome as an update on outdated rules. It also applauded the move to more reduced-risk and minor-use products.
Meanwhile, the federal government also proclaimed into law its controversial species at risk legislation after the Senate joined the House of Commons in rejecting a landowner plea that the bill guarantee full compensation for loss of full use of land because of endangered species protection measures.
