Comment on Canada's Regulatory Proposal PRO2001-02

"Harmonization of environmental chemistry and fate data requirements under NAFTA."

Paul Goettlich 9dec01

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09-12-01 1:23:55 PM
Dear Prime Minister,

As a US citizen with a great deal of experience and knowledge of pesticide regulation in the US, I would like to comment on Regulatory Proposal PRO2001-02, "Harmonization of environmental chemistry and fate data requirements under NAFTA."

The chief architect of pesticide regulation in the US was the pesticide industry itself. Present regulation benefits the pesticide industry and not the health of citizens. Regulations in the US do not protect people from pesticides. Of particular vulnerability are the young, still-developing children, and those yet to be born. Compared to adults, who the regulations are supposedly written for, their food intake in relationship to their body mass is substantially greater, increasing their exposure to pesticides.

Pesticides can be made thousands of times more toxic in combinations with other pesticides that have yet to be studied because of the complexity and cost of such experimentation. Combinations of pesticides with other synthetic chemicals which can also greatly multiply the toxicity have not been studied either. These combinations are commonly found in the everyday life of all people, regardless of size, age, or circumstances.

Pesticides and other synthetic chemicals can act as hormones in the bodies of humans and other animals, thereby disrupting the normal functioning of the endocrine system. It is essential that the endocrine system function properly, otherwise untold numbers of deleterious health effects will be facilitated. Among the effects that have increased substantially since the advent of pesticides and other synthetic chemicals are: all cancers, a reduction in sperm quantity and quality, emotional abnormalities, loss of cognitive functioning, sexual abnormalities, and much more.

These synthetic chemicals are stored in the body fat of all people. When a mother breast-feeds her child, these toxicants are fed to the child. Even before birth, they pass through the placenta to reach the child. Pesticide residues accompany a man's sperm as it enters the mate's vagina. It can also cause genetic damage to the sperm itself. Many of the effects are not manifested or realized until the child has passed puberty, making the connection to pesticides and other synthetic chemicals extremely difficult to impossible.

There is no escaping these insidious and ubiquitous synthetic chemicals. The only way to reduce our exposure is to end the use of them. Pesticides make up a large part of such exposure, whether or not the person uses them in their home or property. They are carried in the air, water, and food supply.

The logical approach would be to end the use of pesticides. To do so there must first be a system in place to educate people of the harm they are exposing themselves, their families, and future generations to. There needs to be a general understanding of what pest control requires, rather than a prophylactic spraying of pesticides. Most common household cleaners kill insects better than pesticides and are substantially less toxic and more economical.

Governments must end subsidies and investments in pesticide/agbiotech industries and assist farmers to utilize organic farming methods. Up until about 50 years ago there were no synthetic pesticides. To this day, crop losses to pests have not decreased since they were introduced. And not one single species of pest has been eliminated.

What has been accomplished by the use of synthetic pesticides is the pollution of a great deal of the world's extremely limited and decreasing potable water supply. We all carry several pesticides in our blood, effecting every function of our bodies. Physical, emotional and mental capacity has all been affected.

It is high time that we tell the truth to fellow citizens and ourselves.

I beg you to reject this attempt to weaken the pesticide regulations of your country. Since the pesticide industry has brought this to our attention, I would like to suggest that this is an appropriate occasion to drastically increase the their regulation.

Best regards,
Paul Goettlich
Berkeley, California
USA