[All] Atrazine

[Robert Milligan]

Hi Lulu,

This is obviously very significant & commendable work that you are  
doing. The very serious negative impacts of atrazine has on many  
complex life forms merits serious
action against the uncaring big farma lobbies and their (often  
ignorant) public servants (including our MOHs). For humans, until such  
time that adequate corrective action is effected, are there ways of  
"filtering" our home (school/business) drinking and showering/bathing  
water to minimize the risk. And what about the poor who can't afford  
this equipment or its maintenance?

Generally I feel that there is so much to do on environmental problems  
requiring us to expand our capacity for effective action. We could  
engage on a campaign for more
members who also have the requisite scientific/technological/legal/...  
knowledge to move us beyond mostly discussion.  Some sort of  
partnership with the 3 university PIRGs
is another posssibility.

Robert M.


On 4-Dec-09, at 4:07 AM, Louisette Lanteigne wrote:

>
>
> --- On Fri, 12/4/09, Louisette Lanteigne  
> <butterflybluelu at rogers.com> wrote:
>
> From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
> Subject: Atrazine
> To: dschultz at grandriver.ca, "Gord Miller" <commissioner at eco.on.ca>,  
> "Dalton McGuinty" <dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org>, peter at peterbraid.ca 
> , Scarpaleggia.F at parl.gc.ca, Prentice.J at parl.gc.ca, "Donna  
> Hon.Cansfield" <dcansfield.mpp at liberal.ola.org>, "Ken (MNR)  
> Cornelisse" <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca>, "Jgerretsen Mpp" <jgerretsen.mpp at liberal.ola.org 
> >, "Toby Barrett" <toby.barrett at pc.ola.org>, "hhampton-qp" <hhampton-qp at ndp.on.ca 
> >, "Jerry Ouellette" <jerry.ouellette at pc.ola.org>, "Cbentley Mpp" <cbentley.mpp at liberal.ola.org 
> >, jwatson.mpp at liberal.ola.org, Henri.Ragetli at dfo-mpo.gc.ca, elizabeth.witmer at pc.ola.org 
> , lpendergast.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, "Sharon.Bailey at ontario.ca" <Sharon.Bailey at ontario.ca 
> >, jmilloy.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, gerry.martiniukco at pc.ola.org, ccu.moh at ontario.ca 
> , Minister_Ministre at hc-sc.gc.ca, ldombrowsky.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, bairdj at parl.gc.ca 
> , RitzG at parl.gc.ca
> Cc: mcolleen at region.waterloo.on.ca
> Date: Friday, December 4, 2009, 3:50 AM
>
> Dear Ministers, MP's MPP's and respective Waterloo Regional Council  
> members and members of the Lake Erie Source Water Committee.
>
> Atrazine is the largest pesticide used over top water recharge areas  
> throughout the Waterloo Moraine and studies have linked this  
> chemical to frog deformities, Here is the latest Canadian study  
> proving this chemical changes the sex of frogs even with low  
> concentrations of Atrazine.
>
> http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/091203/canada/canada_ottawa_ottawa_frogs_sex_change_atrazine
>
> Deformed frogs are found in Waterloo. One was used to show the  
> effects of ecological toxicity at a breast cancer forum in Cambridge  
> years back.
>
> Atrazine is linked to breast and prostate cancers as noted by Dr.  
> Tyrone Hayes, one of the leading authorities on the subject of  
> Atrazine. The link below illustrates his concerns on this product.  
> It is important to note that Public Health agencies in communities  
> along the Grand River rate Breast and Prostate Cancers as their top  
> two cancers.
>
> http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=06-P13-00016&segmentID=1
>
>
> Currently in the Grand River fish are changing sex. Prof. Mark  
> Servos is the Canada Research Chair in Water Quality Protection in  
> the Department of Biology, University of Waterloo has confirmed this  
> fact in lectures I've attended.
>
> Atrazine is a known endocrine disruptor and there is a wide body of  
> studies showing how it changes the sex of fish in the same manner as  
> described by Mr. Servos. Male fish are feminizing, and some have  
> eggs in their testes
>
> Replacement products for Atrazine pesticides are currently available  
> and legislation should be created to prohibit it's use over top our  
> watersheds. Several nations including the UK have already banned it.
>
> I created a report on the use of Atrazine back in 2006 that was  
> shared with various ministries. The responses received are in the  
> attachments for your reference.
>
> In light of the latest studies I believe a review of this chemical's  
> status should be conducted as soon as possible in order to protect  
> the health of the Canadian public.
>
> As aquifers deplete in the US mid west we're seeing the extinction  
> of the Leopard Frog due to Atrazine.
>
> http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/western-leopard-frog-06-30-2009.html
>
> We're also seeing elevated levels of Atrazine in drinking water  
> supplies in the US mid west.
>
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/23/epa-fails-to-inform-publi_n_266686.html
>
> The higher incidents of Atrazine correspond with areas over top the  
> Ogallah Aquifer which is currently going dry from years of over with- 
> drawl. I suspect the higher concentrations being found are directly  
> linked to the decline of the groundwater.
> http://www.agwt.org/info/pdfs/ogallala.pdf
>
> Waterloo Region is the second largest food belt in Ontario, we use  
> Atrazine over our ground source drinking water. We're the largest  
> region in Canada dependent on groundwater yet and truthfully, we  
> don't know how much water is left.
>
> The Council of Canadian Academies was asked by the federal Minister  
> of Natural Resources: “From a science perspective, what is needed to  
> achieve sustainable management of Canada’s groundwater resources?”  
> The Council appointed a diverse group of leaders in the science of  
> groundwater, as well as experts in the sociological, economic and  
> legal aspects surrounding sustainable groundwater management, to the  
> Expert Panel on Groundwater.
>
> The panel’s report, The Sustainable Management of Groundwater in  
> Canada features a passage specific to Waterloo Region's water supply  
> and within that section it states:
>
> The effects of current with-drawls on ecosystem health are uncertain  
> and the specific criteria for maintaining ecosystem viability and  
> integrity are poorly developed.
>
> I have provided the entire passage in the attachment for your  
> reference. To view the entire report visit here: http://www.scienceadvice.ca/groundwater.html
>
> Should water levels be depleted either by development over recharge  
> areas or over with drawl from municipal and agricultural uses, we  
> must monitor the situation so we don't get hit with unexpected  
> spikes of this chemical. Spikes occur in the crop-growing season  
> when the pesticide is used most heavily. The data must take into  
> account rainstorms that wash pesticides into rivers and streams.  
> Since this chemical is an endocrine disruptor, spikes can disrupt  
> the normal development of foetuses.
>
> This is an extremely serious matter. We have the legislative ability  
> to take action to prevent cancer risks, to protect our Canadian  
> watersheds, fisheries and ecology from this harmful pesticide but it  
> takes political will to make it happen.
>
> Suitable replacements for this product are available but even that  
> may not be needed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated  
> that a complete ban on Atrazine would result in crop losses of only  
> 1.19 percent.
>
> Please support a national ban the use of Atrazine to protect  
> Canada's water supplies.
>
> Thank you kindly for your time.
>
> Louisette Lanteigne
> 700 Star Flower Ave.
> Waterloo Ontario
> N2V 2L2
> 519-885-7619
>
>
> <Council of Canadian Academies.jpg><atrazine_responses.pdf>

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