Sierra Club Chinook

Guest post by Robin McLeod, Coalition for a Healthy Calgary

It’s official! Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba continue to lead the country in widespread urban use of pesticides and fertilizers according to Stats Canada’s (2011) survey of Households and the Environment 2009. The provinces of Quebec and Ontario with comprehensive pesticide legislation experienced the greatest decrease in pesticide and fertilizer use from 1994 to 2009. What does this mean? Pesticide legislation is effective in reducing the amount of unnecessary pesticide use in urban environments. In addition, Healthy Calgary spokesperson, Robin McLeod, states “pesticides are likely stored in many Calgary homes in kitchen cupboards, under the sink, and in the garage or garden shed. This is an accident waiting to happen.”

Widespread use of pesticides in prairie homes that have lawns and gardens

In Canada more than 6,000 cases of pesticide poisonings are reported annually. Children, under 6 years of age, account for approximately 46.5% of the cases. The experience is similar in Alberta. From April 2005 to April 2006 1,021 cases of pesticide poisoning were recorded of which 461 cases or 45.2% involved children under the age of six .

Be safe!

Make Calgary healthy! Drop off your spooky toxic pesticides at City of Calgary Fire Stations and Landfill sites.

City of Calgary Fire Stations

• Visa Heights Fire Station #4 (1991 – 18 Avenue NE)
• Varsity Fire Station #17 (3740 32 Avenue NW)
• Lincoln Park/Garrison Green Fire Station #20 (2800 Peacekeepers Way SW)
• Cedarbrae Fire Station #24 (2607 106 Avenue SW)
• Midnapore Fire Station #26 (450 Midpark Way SE)

City of Calgary Landfill sites

• East Calgary Landfill (68 Street and 17 Avenue SE)
• Shepard Landfill (68 Street and 114 Avenue SE)
• Spyhill Landfill (69 Street and 112 Avenue NW)