Herbicide alert- BC
B.C.-wide herbicide spraying coming to where you live in 2024. In a recent press release, the Ministry of Forests announced a sweeping spraying campaign across all Regional districts, eliciting concerns over potential threats to water sources, wildlife, and human health.
However, the 30-day public input period appears inadequate, leaving many citizens uninformed about the risks associated with the proposed use of multiple chemicals. The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), emphasizing local water source health, raises questions about the decision’s transparency. The absence of key stakeholders, including the Green Party and a local MP advocating for toxin-free feminine hygiene products, adds to the unease. Their involvement is essential for a comprehensive assessment of environmental and health impacts.
This situation demands a more inclusive approach to decision-making. The Ministry must engage with the community on a larger scale, offering accessible information and a platform for meaningful citizen input. The current timeline does not align with the gravity of the decision; an extension of the public input period is essential. Our collective well-being and environmental health hinge on a transparent, inclusive, and deliberative process.
The person responsible for coordinating the management of invasive plants under this PMP on behalf of the Ministry of Forests, and the principal contact for information related to this plan is:
Sheryl Wurtz – Invasive Plant Specialist, Ministry of Forests 441 Columbia Street Kamloops BC V2C 2T3, or contact your local MP, MLA, and Area Director today!
A letter from a concerned citizen: Ministry of Forests, Invasive.plants@gov.bc.ca
To Ministry of Forests, media, the men and women who live in British Columbia:
RE: Application number: FOR-SBC-PP-2024-2029. This application is addressed as an invasive species plan giving the illusion it is not decided yet what the plan is, and using deadly chemicals, toxins and poisons classed as herbicides to eradicate invasive species. It makes no sense and I don’t understand why the government would utilize this arsenal of poisons in one breath then talk about climate change in the next. Also stated in the plan is cultural control. What is cultural control?
Plants, trees and vegetation provide us with the air we breathe, the food we eat, the heat and medicine, among a few benefits and without them we no longer exist. Explorers, adventurers, nurseries and travellers have always brought in plants and seeds from other parts of the world. What is indicated as invasive are such plants that today are still being sold in nurseries or as seeds or travellers bring home to try. And polluting the earth with chemicals, toxins and poisons when some of the vegetation to be eradicated, the seeds have a lifespan of 10 years. These tiny seeds are in the ground, and the toxic poisons/chemicals will disperse into the waterways and ecosystem long before the seeds will no longer be viable.
Putting tonnes of toxic chemical poisons into the environment, that all (Yes all) have a detrimental effect on human life, plant and animal life, water systems, bees, environmental, soil and air – is leading us to extinction. I strongly disagree with any plan to limit life on earth through use of toxic chemical poisons whether it is a herbicide, pesticide and/or other pharmaceuticals.
Time frame of application : April 15, 2024 – April 15 2029
Who: The purpose: – invasive plants on Provincial Public Land under jurisdiction of Ministry of Forests; Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure; Ministry of Water, Ministry of Land and Resource Stewardship,Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Climate Change Strategy
Where: Applies to: – Southern and Coastal B.C. and Northern Coast Haida Gwaii, Regional Districts of: Alberni – Clayoquot, Capital, Cariboo, Central Coast, Central, Kootenay, Central Okanagan, Columbia Shuswap, Comox Valley, Cowichan, Valley, East Kootenay, Fraser Valley, Kootenay Valley,, Metro Vancouver, Mount Waddington, Nanaimo, North Coast, North Okanagan, Okanagan Similkameen, Qathet, Squamish-Lillooet, Strathcona, Sunshine Coast, Thompson-Nicola
How: The methods include: Mechanical – cultural – biological control – and herbicides
Application of herbicides by: Wick/wipe-on, stem injection, ground vehicle mounted sprayers, backpack and/or handheld sprayers.
What: Herbicides to be used; Aminocyclopyrachlor – Truvist; Navius VM (Bayer)- (is a tree killing herbicide and as of May 16, 2019 has been restricted in Oregon.);
Aminopyralid – Milestone, Restore II, Restore NXT, Clearview, Reclaim IIA (Dow Agrosciences) – (very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, causes serious eye damage.);
Clopyralid – Lontrel XC (Corteva)- (a hormone disruptor that has a similar mode of action to 2,4-D);
Dicamba – Dyvel, Vanquish, Banvel- (see diflufenzopyr); Diflufenzopyr Overdrive (BASF/Bayer) – (contain allergen sulfites, eye irritant, skin sensitizer, poison, toxic to non-target terrestrial plants and aquatic organisms. Symptoms of overexposure to dicamba may include dizziness, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, decreased heart rate, shortness of breath, incontinence, cyanosis, muscle spasms, exhaustion and loss of voice.);
Fluroxypyr Starane, Pulsar- (harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.);
Glyphosate – Roundup WeatherMax, Vantage Plus Max/VPMII, Vantage XRT; Roundup Transorb HC (Dow Agrosciences)- (associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), have an effect on the environment and be harmful to fish, crustaceans and amphibians as well asbeneficial bacteria in soil and water, harmful to bees.; 2,4-D – 2,4-D Amine 600, Reclaim II B, Restore B, Grazon XC (Dow Agrosciences)- (used in the Vietnam war as Agent Orange, cause coughing, burning, dizziness, temporary loss of muscle coordination, fatigue, muscle weakness,nausea, endocrine-disrupting chemical, impedes normal action of estrogen, androgen and thyroid hormone, decrease fertility, risk of birth defects.;
Imazapyr – Arsenal, Arsenal-Powerline, Habitat- (causes serious eye irritation, harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.); Metsulfuron-methyl – Escort, Clearview, Reclaim A, Navius VM (Dupont)- (very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, skin and eye irritation, poisonous if ingested or inhaled, may cause reproduction problems.);
Picloram – Tordon 22K, Grazon XC, Tordon 101 (Dow Agrosciences) – (the same as 2,4-D above); Florpyrauxifen-benzyl – Rinskor, Milestone NXT, Restore NXT- (Similar and same effects as glyphosate);
Triclopyr – Garlon RTU, Garlon XRT, Triclopyr 480- (causes skin and eye irritation)
Responses must be within 30 days of post. Posted Wednesday November 15, 2023 BUT we say keep writing and calling !! They don’t get to set the timeframes for our health.
Would you trust the corporation that has the potential to make millions if not billions of dollars, to give you honest safety reporting? Other research done by concerned individuals and companies, using their own money is far and few between. Governments use our tax dollars to subsidise large corporations so in return politicians get …. Well, let’s just say a lot of money is involved here.
Concerned B.C. resident
