EDITOR’S NOTE: We recently recieved the following letter, and separately this report, relating to an upcoming debate on roadside herbicide spraying in the area.
On February 6th, 2018, Mississippi Mills council will debate a proposal being put forward by the Agricultural Advisory Committee advocating the use of the herbicide ClearView for roadside spraying in Mississippi Mills, to control wild parsnip. Currently our municipality uses mowing to control the weed. The reason cited for the recommendation is that mowing can spread the seed into adjacent farmland.
What you need to know about ClearView (aka metsulfuron-methyl)
1) Metsulfuron-methyl was approved by Agriculture Canada in 1987 despite a recommendation against its use by Environment Canada. See letter.
2) There is published peer reviewed scientific research that clearly indicates that metsulfuron-methyl is a pesticide suspected of being an Endocrine disrupter (Marutescu, 2017) See attached link.
3) Endocrine disrupters have known adverse effects on human populations exposed to them. (Swedenborg et al., 2010)
4) The diseases associated with Edoncrine disrupters include precocious puberty, polycystic ovary syndrome and premature ovarian failure. (Costa, 2006)
5) Metsulfuron-methyl is persistent for up to 22 months (Clearview MSDS) Meaning it takes 22 months for effects to stop.
6) Metsulfuron-methyl is water soluble and prone to leaching (Dupont, 1987)
7) Because it is water soluble, prone to leaching and lasts for 22 months it can be expected to enter our water supply and ground water.
If this proposal is adopted, Mississippi Mills will be introducing a suspected toxin into your water supply.
Its very important that you let your Council know where you stand on this matter, so they understand how best to represent and protect you and your families. You can send one letter to the Municipal Clerk Shawna Stone, asking her to forward it to all the councillors. Her email address is clerk@mississippimills.ca .
Or, if you want to send individual emails, here is the contact information for our municipal councillors:
Shaun McLaughlin <smclaughlin@mississippimills.ca>
John Edwards <jedwards@mississippimills.ca>
Val Wilkinson <vwilkinson@mississippimills.ca>
Christa Lowry <clowry@mississippimills.ca>
Jane Torrance <jtorrance@mississippimills.ca>
Paul Watters <pwatters@mississippimills.ca>
Denzil Ferguson <dferguson@mississippimills.ca>
Jill Mccubbin <jmccubbin@mississippimills.ca>
Duncan Abbott <duncanmmills@gmail.com>
Alex Gillis <alex_gillis@hotmail.com>
Scott Sigurdson
Indian Creek Orchard Gardens
Pakenham, ON