7.4 - Elimination of Cosmetic Pesticide - Community Outreach, Public Education, Operational and Enforcement Resources

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Edmonton City Council to ban cosmetic pesticides, asserting that such bans are popular, cost-effective, and essential for protecting human and environmental health. CAPE argues that the current risk assessment approach is insufficient and advocates for an 'alternatives assessment' paradigm that prioritizes hazard prevention over acceptable risk. The document links pesticide use to broader planetary health crises, noting that pesticides can negatively impact soil biodiversity and carbon sequestration, thereby exacerbating the climate emergency. CAPE cites various health risks associated with pesticides, including links to cancers, reproductive problems, and Parkinson's disease, and points to successful bans in other jurisdictions as models for Edmonton to follow.

• CAPE asserts that municipal cosmetic pesticide bans are not complex, are supported by most community members in polls, and typically do not face compliance issues once implemented.
• The document argues that Edmonton can implement a pesticide ban cost-effectively by utilizing existing bylaws and educational materials from other jurisdictions, such as the City of Richmond.
• CAPE advocates for a shift from 'risk assessment', which calculates the likelihood of harm, to 'alternatives assessment', which focuses on selecting less hazardous materials to eliminate the concept of 'acceptable risk'.
• The document links pesticide use to the climate emergency, stating that pesticides can damage soil biodiversity, which in turn impairs the soil's ability to store and sequester carbon.
• CAPE claims that chemical pollution, including pesticides, has exceeded a 'planetary health boundary', necessitating stronger regulation and a cap on chemical production and release.
• The document cites specific health impacts of pesticides in Canada, including elevated breast cancer risk for women in Essex and Kent counties in Ontario, and the detection of DDT in the breast milk of Inuit women in the North.
• CAPE references a 2016 survey indicating that two-thirds of Albertans are concerned about the health impacts of pesticides on children and pets.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2022). 7.4 - Elimination of Cosmetic Pesticide - Community Outreach, Public Education, Operational and Enforcement Resources. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CAPE-Statement-of-Support-for-a-Cosmetic-Pesticide-Ban-by-Edmonton-Council-August-2022.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. 7.4 - Elimination of Cosmetic Pesticide - Community Outreach, Public Education, Operational and Enforcement Resources. 2022. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CAPE-Statement-of-Support-for-a-Cosmetic-Pesticide-Ban-by-Edmonton-Council-August-2022.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=7.4 - Elimination of Cosmetic Pesticide - Community Outreach, Public Education, Operational and Enforcement Resources |date=17 August 2022 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CAPE-Statement-of-Support-for-a-Cosmetic-Pesticide-Ban-by-Edmonton-Council-August-2022.pdf#new_tab |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2022elimination, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{7.4 - Elimination of Cosmetic Pesticide - Community Outreach, Public Education, Operational and Enforcement Resources}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CAPE-Statement-of-Support-for-a-Cosmetic-Pesticide-Ban-by-Edmonton-Council-August-2022.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }