May 2007

To: The Ad-Hoc Committee on the Non-Essential Use of Cosmetic
      Pesticides,   City of Winnipeg,  MB


Hello my name is Dennis Murphy.  Thank you for this opportunity to share

my opinions on the cosmetic use of pesticides in Winnipeg.  It is my hope

that the cosmetic use of pesticides in Winnipeg be banned and if not banned

limited only to the use of qualified professionals who are only able to use

pesticides only once every three to four years at a residence after a permit

has been acquired.

My concern over the use of pesticides in Winnipeg is a result of my own

personal experience.  I have an illness which results in me getting sick after

exposure to the odor of pesticides used on lawns and gardens etc.  I used to

work as a veterinarian and became ill after multiple exposures to

formaldehyde and pesticides.  I have suffered from this illness for

approximately 20 years. Exposure to chemicals has resulted in a breakdown

of my body's defenses to protect me against even small doses of pesticides

and other chemicals.  Exposure to these substances results in severe illness

including headaches, balance problems, flu like symptoms, extreme fatigue,

muscle aches and disorientation.  Medical tests have shown central nervous

system degeneration which is progressing.

I have a number of concerns regarding the use of pesticides in Winnipeg. 

The first is that exposure to these chemicals will worsen my own illness. 

Even small doses of these chemicals affect me and cause intense burning

headaches among other symptoms and seemed to be continually damaging

my nervous system specifically my cerebral cortex.  I feel that I represent

other people with illnesses such as asthma, reactive airway disease and other

sensitivities.  It is our right to be able to walk the streets of Winnipeg

without suffering illness.  I dread the coming of spring and early summer as

the pesticides used for cosmetic purposes off gas for days after their

application and cause me to become ill. I often leave the city during these

times.

My own symptoms tie in with my second concern.  I wonder if other people

are being affected by these chemicals and either don't make the connection

between exposure and their illness or if after exposure there are no

immediate symptoms but that these exposures can lead to future illnesses

such as cancer, mental illness, birth defects, autism, ADHD and others. 

Could people like me be like the canaries used in mines to determine safety

for the rest of the population?  Have these chemicals been proven without a

doubt to not cause illness in the human population and damage the

environment?  If there is any doubt as to the safety of these chemicals I feel

they should be banned as no weed that I know of has caused illness or death

in anyone.

 I feel it is the responsibility of the pesticide industry to guarantee the

ABSOLUTE safety of their products and be responsible for any damage as

a result of their use especially concerning cosmetic use.  For example, if

even 20 years from now any of these pesticides are found to cause cancer or

birth defects the pesticide companies should be responsible for these

damages and pay for these damages.  The pesticide companies should be

responsible for all the testing required to guarantee the absolute safety of

their product. 

A third concern of mine which is related to the above is the exposure of

pregnant women to pesticides.  Has it been proven without a doubt that these

chemicals will not cause any damage to the fetus? The cells of the fetus

divide at a very fast rate.  It is this characteristic that makes the unborn child

so vulnerable to chemicals.  What a risk we are taking to expose the unborn

to these chemicals especially if there is any possibility this could result in a

lifetime of illness. 

My fourth and final concern is the environment.  The gallons and tons of

pesticides used cosmetically in Winnipeg run off into the sewer drains. 

From the sewer drains they end up in the rivers and from the rivers into our

lakes and from the lakes into the oceans.  Are these chemicals doing any

damage locally in our city?  Are they doing any damage in rivers and lakes? 

Are they doing any damage in the oceans?  If pesticides can kill weeds,

insects, fungi etc. what else can they kill or harm?  Also, when these

chemicals end up in our sewers do they mix with a host of other chemicals

used in the urban setting and result in a chemical reaction producing even

more harmful chemicals?  Anti-freeze, gasoline, oil, detergents, cleaning

agents, paints, solvents, other pesticides, acids, bases, industrial wastes are

just a few substances that I can think of which could react with pesticides to

produce harmful chemicals or substances.  All these questions and more

should be answered before pesticides are allowed to be used for cosmetic

purposes.  I know how pesticides affect me.  I see no justification for their

cosmetic use unless they are absolutely safe and this safety is guaranteed,

with the pesticide industry being totally responsible for this guarantee.  Does

the pesticide industry presently guarantee without a doubt that their products

cause absolutely no harm to humans or the environment in any

circumstance?  If they cannot make this absolute guarantee and be

responsible for it then the cosmetic use of pesticides should be banned in

Winnipeg.

I understand how many homeowners would object to the banning of the

cosmetic use of pesticides but with education on the safety of these

chemicals regarding the above-mentioned points and the alternative methods

of pest control I believe most people would support this ban.