Health Canada re-evaluating fungicide use on farms

As Health Canada gets ready to review a fungicide used on many Island farms, former Green party leader Sharon Labchuk is hoping to see some restrictions placed on its use.

The fungicide known as mancozeb is up for re-evaluation by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) as part of a regular review process.

Labchuk, who works with environmental group Earth Action, said she knows it won’t be banned in the next few years, but she would like to see its use limited because so many people live close to fields.

The product’s label should have restrictions in terms of spraying near schools and residences to reduce the amount people would inhale, she said.

“At least it would send the signal that this stuff is toxic to bystanders and the people that are spraying.”

In P.E.I., mancozeb is one of the products used to fight late blight, which is a fungus that can be devastating to potato crops.

After its re-evaluation, PMRA found there was value in most uses of mancozeb and those uses were not of concern to human health or the environment when risk-reduction measures were taken.

That re-evaluation proposed phasing out the fungicide for some uses because of the health risk to humans or the environment.

PMRA says protection measures are necessary to reduce workers’ potential exposure and protect their health.

As part of the process, PMRA is asking for public input on ways to address health concerns and Earth Action has already sent a submission.

Labchuk said the health effects associated with mancozeb have been documented, including with the state of California, which lists it as a chemical known to cause cancer.

Since it is so widely used in P.E.I. there is a lot of opportunity for people to come into contact with mancozeb, especially through inhalation as it travels on the wind.

“You can’t control that,” she said.

Greg Donald, the P.E.I. Potato Board’s general manager, said mancozeb is one of the main products used to deal with late blight.

“It’s tried and proven,” he said.

Donald said the potato board will send a submission in conjunction with the Canadian Potato Council as part of the consultation.

There are other products used to deal with late blight, but part of a good strategy is to rotate them and having fewer of them is not good from a disease management standpoint, he said.

“If there were a risk of losing it there would be one less tool in the toolbox and it would make management certainly more difficult.’’